Daniel and Cyrus Before the Idol Bel by Rembrandt van Rijn was created in 1633. The painting is in J. Paul Getty Museum Los Angeles. The size of the work is 23,5 x 30,2 cm and is made of oil on panel.
Light illuminates the figures of Cyrus and Daniel, highlighting their dramatic encounter. Rembrandt contrasted the king’s grandeur with Daniel’s humility. Facing out and gesturing toward the table, the lavishly attired Cyrus appears large and imposing. By contrast, the youthful Daniel seems small, and his posture suggests modesty or submissiveness before his ruler. Rembrandt evoked the exotic mystery of a pagan cult by showing only part of the monumental idol emerging from the flickering lamplight on the right. Inside the shadowy temple, light catches and reflects off the extravagant finery worn by Cyrus and the gold vessels placed atop the velvet tablecloth. Read more in J. Paul Getty Museum.
About the Artist: Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker and draughtsman Rembrandt was born on 15 July 1606 in Leiden, in the Dutch Republic, now the Netherlands. As a boy, he attended a Latin school. At the age of 13, he was enrolled at the University of Leiden, although according to a contemporary he had a greater inclination towards painting. In 1624 or 1625, Rembrandt opened a studio in Leiden, which he shared with friend and colleague Jan Lievens. In 1627, Rembrandt began to accept students, which included Gerrit Dou in 1628 and Isaac de Jouderville… Read more
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