Circle of Frans Francken II, Balthazar's Banquet, 1640, Oil on Canvas

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Description

Frans francken ii (antwerp, 1581–1642) workshop/circle
belshazzar's feast

oil on canvas (98 x 115 cm - framed 121.5 x 141.5 … Read more Frans francken ii (antwerp, 1581–1642) workshop/circle
belshazzar's feast

oil on canvas (98 x 115 cm - framed 121.5 x 141.5 cm)

the painting, which shows a sumptuous banquet set in the hall of a luxurious palace, depicts the biblical episode in which the babylonian king belshazzar, who lived in the 6th century, had gold and silver vessels stolen from the temple of jerusalem brought to drink with his more than a thousand dignitaries, wives, and concubines (bible, chapter 5, book of daniel).

suddenly, in the midst of the feast, a blinding light appeared—here evoked by the rays emanating from the great candelabra in the center—and a mysterious hand carved three incomprehensible words on the palace wall: "mane, thecel, phares" (literally "i count, i weigh, i divide").

the court soothsayers were unable to interpret them, but the prophet daniel, who was present at the banquet near the king, revealed that those words were god's negative judgment on belshazzar and foreshadowed the imminent end of his reign (that same night the king was killed and the babylonian kingdom divided between the medes and persians).

in particular, daniel interpreted the individual words as follows: "mane—god has counted your kingdom and put an end to it," "thecel, you have been weighed in the balance and found wanting," "phares, your kingdom is divided and given to the medes and persians" (daniel 5:1-30).

this work, a remarkable example of the descriptive richness typical of 17th-century flemish masters, can be attributed in style and compositional choices to the prolific workshop of frans francken (antwerp 1581–1642), who loved to return to biblical themes in his works, particularly the great banquets of history (the wedding of esther and ahasuerus, herod's feast, lazarus' feast, etc.), which offered him the opportunity to unleash his strong narrative flair.

the son of an artist, frans francken ii is considered the true protagonist of the lineage, the one who transformed the family workshop into a center of production renowned throughout europe. Furthermore, he was surrounded by skilled assistants, often his own family, and his sons continued the activity, varying little from the already widely tested compositions.

additional information:

the painting is sold complete with an antique frame and comes with a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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