Belshazzar's Right Hand, for "Belshazzar's Feast" 1820 - 1828

Editor: This is Washington Allston's "Belshazzar's Right Hand," a study for his painting "Belshazzar's Feast." It's a striking, almost isolated image. What kind of symbolism do you see embedded in it? Curator: The hand, especially the right hand, frequently symbolizes power, action, and divine intervention. Here, it becomes a harbinger of doom. Do you see how the stark lighting emphasizes the impending judgment? Editor: It's like the hand is the only thing that matters. Curator: Precisely. Allston is drawing upon centuries of symbolic language, where the hand represents agency and consequence. The isolated hand foreshadows the downfall of a kingdom. Editor: So, it's not just a hand; it's a warning. Curator: Exactly. It speaks to the enduring power of symbols to convey complex ideas, even across vast stretches of time and culture.