Artwork
Gastmahl des Königs Belsazar
Gastmahl des Königs Belsazar is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Jacopo Tintoretto. It dates from 1543 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
The painting is called Gastmahl des Königs Belsazar by Jacopo Tintoretto.
It was created in 1543. I don't know much about the painting itself, but I can tell you that Jacopo Tintoretto was active during a time of great change in art.
You can learn more about this style of art by looking into the work of the artist: Jacopo Tintoretto.
Overview
Jacopo Tintoretto’s Gastmahl des Königs Belsazar, executed in 1543, is a large‑scale oil painting that belongs to the Venetian Mannerist tradition. The work is part of the permanent collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and illustrates a dramatic moment from the biblical narrative of King Belshazzar’s banquet.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures the moment when a celestial hand appears above the banquet table, inscribing a prophetic warning on the palace wall. This supernatural intervention serves as a visual reminder of divine judgment, confronting the king and his courtiers with the imminent downfall foretold in the Book of Daniel.
Technique & Style
Tintoretto employs his characteristic rapid brushwork and bold handling of paint to convey movement and tension. Muscular, contorted figures dominate the scene, while dramatic gestures and a sharply angled perspective draw the viewer’s eye toward the luminous hand. The Mannerist emphasis on exaggerated anatomy and theatrical lighting heightens the emotional intensity.
History & Provenance
Created during a period of artistic transition in mid‑16th‑century Venice, the painting reflects Tintorettos’s reputation for swift execution and innovative spatial arrangements. After remaining in private collections for centuries, it entered the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s holdings, where it has been displayed as a key example of the artist’s early mature style.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacopo Robusti (late September or early October 1518 – 31 May 1594), best known as Tintoretto ( TIN-tə-RET-oh; Italian:; Venetian: ), was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Venetian school.
