Belshazzar’s impious feast
1775 - 1824
Benjamin West brings the biblical drama of Belshazzar's feast to life in this intense scene, where the prophet Daniel confronts the Babylonian king. Notice the scrolls scattered on the floor and the ghostly handwriting in the smoke above—Daniel is delivering a divine warning that the king's days are numbered! Published in Boston in 1824 as an engraving by James Barton Neagle, this print captures the neoclassical style West was famous for, blending historical grandeur with moral storytelling. It's a snapshot of a moment right before the fall of an empire, making you wonder what the king's reaction will be.
- Technique
- Engraving
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