“Christ Refusing the Banquet Offered by Satan” is an artwork created by William Blake between the years 1816 and 1820. Executed using pen, wash, ink, and watercolor on paper, this piece exemplifies the Symbolism art movement. The dimensions of the artwork are 13.5 x 17.1 cm, and it belongs to the illustration genre, specifically as part of the series “Illustrations to John Milton – Paradise Regained.” The artwork is currently housed in the Fitzwilliam Museum at the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, UK.
The artwork depicts a significant moment from John Milton’s “Paradise Regained,” where Christ rejects the sumptuous banquet offered to him by Satan. In the foreground, Christ, positioned to the right, raises his hands in a gesture of refusal. Satan and his attendants, depicted with an ethereal, almost otherworldly grace, occupy the left side of the composition. A feast is laid out on a table that spans the background, adorned with various dishes and attended by angelic figures. Above the scene, another celestial figure presides, overseeing the event with a sense of looming omnipresence. The scene is portrayed with Blake’s characteristic use of vibrant yet muted colors and intricate detailing, encapsulating the spiritual and moral significance of the narrative.
