The artwork titled “Satan in Council,” created by the artist Gustave Dore around the year 1868, is an engraving that falls within the Romanticism art movement and belongs to the illustration genre. It is part of the “Paradise Lost” series and is currently held in a private collection.
The engraving depicts a dramatic and intense scene derived from John Milton’s epic poem “Paradise Lost.” The central figure, presumably Satan, stands authoritatively, addressing what appears to be an assembly of fallen angels. The setting is grand and elaborate, with towering columns and intricate architectural details, carrying an almost cathedral-like essence. A sense of foreboding fills the atmosphere, further intensified by the dark and dense clouds of smoke that envelop the scene. The figures, clad in various states of armor and armed with spears, surround their leader, reflecting the gravity and tension of the moment depicted. Dore’s meticulous detail and dramatic use of light and shadow bring a sense of dynamic motion and emotional depth to the engraving, capturing the turbulent and rebellious spirit of the subject matter.
