Five Male Heads, for "Belshazzar's Feast" 1817

Editor: Here we have Washington Allston's "Five Male Heads, for 'Belshazzar's Feast'". It's a small drawing, only a few inches across, and the figures seem… anxious. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, "Belshazzar's Feast" was a famous, unfinished history painting. Allston struggled with it for decades. This drawing, then, offers a glimpse into his process of visualizing power and authority. Who were these men? What roles did they play in the narrative Allston was trying to construct, and for whom? Editor: So, this isn't just about the individual faces, but about the power dynamics Allston was trying to capture? Curator: Precisely. Allston was working in a period of great social upheaval. The depiction of power—who has it, how they wield it—becomes paramount. Something to consider. Editor: Interesting! I'll definitely look at it differently now. Thanks!