Belshazzar’s feast 1634 - 1639

Rembrandt van Rijn created ‘Belshazzar’s Feast’ using oil paints, a traditional medium that allowed him to build layers of meaning and texture. The material qualities of oil paint are crucial here. Rembrandt used thick impasto to capture the opulence of the feast – the rich garments, the golden vessels – all suggesting a world of excessive consumption. Look closely, and you'll see how he manipulated the viscosity of the paint to create contrasts between light and shadow, heightening the drama. This wasn't just about skilled application; Rembrandt ran a workshop, relying on apprentices to grind pigments and prepare canvases. Consider too, the social context. Rembrandt worked in a mercantile society, where wealth and status were increasingly tied to material possessions. ‘Belshazzar’s Feast’ can be understood as a meditation on the transience of earthly power and the consequences of luxury, achieved through skilled craftsmanship and a deep understanding of his materials. It pushes us to see how the making, and the materials, are central to the work's narrative power.