Rembrandt van Rijn

Balaam and the Donkey, 1626, Oil on panel, 63 x 46.5 cm, Musée Cognacq-Jay, Paris; J 95, Album / Art Resource, NY

Balaam in Bedlam

Commentary by Bridget Nichols

Cite Share

Rembrandt van Rijn produced his painting of Balaam and the Angel in 1626, four years after his teacher Peter Lastman had addressed the same subject.

Rembrandt introduced a dynamism into his composition that was lacking in Lastman’s by organising all the figures as players in a real-time drama. The angel moves from the right of the canvas to the left, and stands behind the prophet, his sword about to descend. The Moabite representatives move from a distant position to participate in the action. Balaam’s two young servants stand as shadowy presences between them and Balaam on the ass.

Rembrandt’s treatment has elements of sheer comic hyperbole—in Bruce Bernard’s words, ‘the extrovert miller’s son amusing himself’ (Bernard 1988: 282). He has exploited the motif of sight to the full: the professional seer does not see the angel, yet the female animal does, as her wide-open eyes bear witness. Balaam’s eyes, by contrast, are small dark cavities.

What the Moabites and the servants see is cause for embarrassment and consternation. The man who has set out in expensive clothing made of rich fabrics and trimmed with fur is suddenly flailing about on the back of a collapsed donkey, having lost a shoe. Dressed in sober colours, the three turbaned Moabites behind him, one mounted on a well-bred horse and appearing to look down his nose, are eloquent simply by their presence. Should they be surprised? The leather satchel, bulging with papers and a wooden staff, has all the signs that any available aids to divination have been hastily stuffed into it.

The angel is a commanding presence almost against the odds. His muscular build is flimsily covered by a precariously attached white garment and he wears exaggerated wings suggestive of a great bird of prey. The ass is captured in the act of speech, fearful of the blow about to descend on her, yet defiant. The detail of her furry ears and the ruff running the length of her throat perhaps nods to the fur trim on Balaam’s sleeve.

Who speaks and sees truly in this story of a prophet?

 

References

Bernard, Bruce. 1988. The Bible and Its Painters (London & Sydney: Mcdonald Orbis)

See full exhibition for Numbers 22:1–35

Numbers 22:1–35

Revised Standard Version

22 Then the people of Israel set out, and encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho. 2And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many; Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. 4And Moab said to the elders of Midʹian, “This horde will now lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” So Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beʹor at Pethor, which is near the River, in the land of Amaw to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. 6Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

7 So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midʹian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and gave him Balak’s message. 8And he said to them, “Lodge here this night, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me”; so the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam. 9And God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” 10And Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, 11‘Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and it covers the face of the earth; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.’ ” 12God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” 13So Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land; for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” 14So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

15 Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than they. 16And they came to Balaam and said to him, “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Let nothing hinder you from coming to me; 17for I will surely do you great honor, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, curse this people for me.’ ” 18But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God, to do less or more. 19Pray, now, tarry here this night also, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.” 20And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only what I bid you, that shall you do.”

21 So Balaam rose in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. 22But God’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the ass, and his two servants were with him. 23And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the ass, to turn her into the road. 24Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. 25And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she pushed against the wall, and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck her again. 26Then the angel of the Lord went ahead, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. 27When the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the ass with his staff. 28Then the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29And Balaam said to the ass, “Because you have made sport of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” 30And the ass said to Balaam, “Am I not your ass, upon which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”

31 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. 32And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your ass these three times? Behold, I have come forth to withstand you, because your way is perverse before me; 33and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have slain you and let her live.” 34Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that thou didst stand in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in thy sight, I will go back again.” 35And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men; but only the word which I bid you, that shall you speak.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

More Exhibitions