The 1880 Bible collection · ART0003
Belshazzar’s Feast: The Writing on the Wall
Printed caption: BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST.
Daniel 5:1–31
This original-leaf photograph documents the story. Explore the collection for framed originals.
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Daniel 5 describes a royal feast interrupted by writing on the palace wall. Belshazzar has used vessels taken from Jerusalem’s temple while praising other gods. His advisers cannot explain the message, so Daniel is summoned. Daniel interprets it as judgment on the king and the coming end of his kingdom; the chapter closes with Belshazzar’s death that night. The vast architecture and crowded gathering make the interruption especially dramatic. As an artistic reading, the scene contrasts outward wealth and power with sudden vulnerability. The familiar expression ‘the writing on the wall’ recalls this narrative.
Take a closer look
Two details to notice
- Towering columns and rows of vessels emphasize the scale of the royal feast.
- Raised hands and startled faces interrupt the ordered architecture with sudden movement.
About this original
- Source
- Original 1880 Bible
- Collection
- Bible illustrations
- Photograph
- Original leaf and illustration detail
- Visible condition
- Edge wear and minor marks.
- Piece reference
- ART0003
These original pages were salvaged from a damaged book. The age and individual marks of each physical leaf are part of what makes it unique.
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The illustration is an artistic interpretation. The linked source gives context for this short introduction.
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