Why it matters
A divine hand writes a message on the wall at King Belshazzar's feast, prophesying the downfall of his reign. With this large history painting Rembrandt sought to establish himself as a painter of Baroque history scenes.
Did you know?
- It dates from around 1635–1638.
- The Hebrew inscription came from a book by his friend Menasseh ben Israel.
- Rembrandt arranged the letters in columns rather than right to left.
Based on the Wikipedia article Belshazzar's Feast (Rembrandt) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
