Belshazzar's Feast 1820

John Martin's 1820 painting "Belshazzar's Feast" depicts the biblical story of the Babylonian king Belshazzar being punished by God for his arrogance. The painting is known for its dramatic use of light and shadow, as well as its vast, sprawling composition. The scene unfolds in a grand palace setting, filled with opulent details, highlighting the extravagance of the feast. However, the presence of a ghostly hand writing on the wall, as seen in the Book of Daniel, foreshadows the imminent destruction of the kingdom, underscoring the theme of divine retribution. This grand painting exemplifies Martin's fascination with the sublime and the apocalyptic, making it a prominent piece of Romanticism in British art.