The artwork titled “Illustration to Milton’s On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity,” created by William Blake in 1809, is a watercolor piece that belongs to the Symbolism art movement. It serves as an illustration and forms part of the series “Illustrations to John Milton – On the Morning of Christ`s Nativity.”
The artwork depicts a serene nativity scene, marked by delicate, ethereal figures, and divinely radiant light emanating from the infant Jesus, cradled by Mary. Above the stable hovers a celestial being, suggesting divine presence or intervention, while an angelic figure watches over Mary and the child with profound tenderness. The stable, rendered in Blake’s meticulous and symbolic style, provides a humble setting for this sacred tableau. The oxen in the background emphasize the humility and simplicity of Christ’s birth. A figure lies prostrate in the foreground, seemingly overcome by the sacred moment. The use of soft, muted colors and gentle washes in the watercolor medium enhances the spiritual and otherworldly tenors of the scene, characteristic of Blake’s visionary approach to illustration. Overall, the piece harmoniously blends the symbolic, illustrative, and spiritual elements, reflecting the piety and reverence of the nativity event.