The artwork titled “Illustration to Milton’s On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity,” created by the artist William Blake in 1815, belongs to the Symbolism movement and is executed in watercolor. This piece falls under the genre of illustration and is part of the series “Illustrations to John Milton – On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity.”
In the artwork, a central towering figure, possibly a demonic or mythological entity, is painted in dark tones, seated with a scepter-like object in hand, surrounded by an array of ethereal and dynamic figures. An ominous winged creature hovers in the sky above, seemingly descending with its wings casting shadows and adding to the dramatic atmosphere. The background is swathed in swirling flames and smoke, while various figures around the central entity are depicted in diverse states of distress or reverence, embodied by crouching, kneeling, or gesturing gestures. The entire scene manifests Blake’s characteristic intricate detailing and conveys a profound and symbolic narrative reflective of John Milton’s poem.
