Two Eyes, for "Belshazzar's Feast" 1820 - 1821

Curator: Here, we have a detail study rendered by Washington Allston, born in 1779. It's a tiny graphite sketch, barely larger than a postage stamp, titled "Two Eyes, for 'Belshazzar's Feast.'" Editor: They appear anxious, alert. There's a vulnerability in the open irises, but also a sense of intense scrutiny. Curator: Exactly! Allston sought to capture the psychological drama of the biblical story. Eyes, of course, are powerful symbols of perception, judgment, and divine observation. Editor: Right, and in this scene, it's about the gaze of power, of Belshazzar and his court being watched. The eyes implicate the viewer, too. Who do we identify with? The observed, or the divine observer? Curator: I'd say these eyes echo the fear, but also hint at the hope for redemption. Editor: It's a sketch that holds the weight of cultural anxieties about authority and accountability. I won't look at eyes the same way again. Curator: Nor will I. Thanks for that important reminder.