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Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Burning Fiery Furnace
J. M. W. Turner·1832
Historical Context
This painting of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Burning Fiery Furnace, dating to 1832, is by Joseph Mallord William Turner, who born in London in 1775, became Britain's greatest landscape and marine painter. His revolutionary treatment of light and atmosphere anticipated Impressionism. The work demonstrates the artist's characteristic approach to subject matter during the Romantic period, reflecting both personal artistic vision and the broader cultural context in which it was produced. The painting contributes to our understanding of the artist's development and working methods.
Technical Analysis
The painting demonstrates the artist's mature command of technique, with accomplished handling of color, form, and atmospheric effects that reflect both personal artistic development and the broader stylistic conventions of the Romantic period.
Look Closer
- ◆Look for the three figures of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego visible within the furnace — the biblical figures who refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar's golden image and were thrown into the fire.
- ◆Notice the fire itself — Turner renders the burning furnace with the intense, radiant heat that he associated with industrial and supernatural fire, the light overwhelming and barely controllable.
- ◆Observe the fourth figure visible within the flames — the angel or divine being who protects the three men, present within the fire as a source of protection and light.
- ◆Find the furnace's architectural setting — the massive Babylonian construction visible around the fire, Turner using the ancient Near Eastern architectural context to give the biblical subject its visual grandeur.
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