The Fall of Satan William Blake Buy Art Prints Now
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by
Tom Gurney BSc (Hons) is an art history expert with over 20 years experience
Published on June 19, 2020 / Updated on October 14, 2023
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The Fall of Satan is a painting by William Blake that depicts how Lucifer, who was once an angel in heaven, rebelled against God and was consequently cast into Hell. The painting tells the story through vivid colors and strong imagery.

It symbolizes both hubris and punishment for sin. This work has been highly regarded as one of Blake's most important pieces because it explores such themes as mortality, human existence, and ultimately Good vs. Evil.

The Theme of Fall of Satan by William Blake

The painting is an illustration from Milton's epic poem where Satan is banished to hell for his sins against God in what he calls a "dreadful crime". In this painting, Blake shows us how Satan rises up and claims his revenge on God by proclaiming that he will build a new heaven and earth. This work expresses how great pride can lead a person down the wrong path of life, ultimately leaving them with nothing but sin to show for it. Blake uses vivid colors such as gold, red and black throughout these paintings, giving them an ethereal glow and setting a stage for biblical stories to take place on. He also pays particular attention to depicting angels using different colors, each expressing a different emotion.

The use of color in this work is unique and showcases Blake's idea that colors symbolize different emotions and intentions. For example, the reds portray raw emotion while black signifies death or vengeance. Gold represents power or victory over something evil. The image on the far left portrays a ghostly figure holding a key with flames coming from its head, which could symbolize either Hell itself or an angel sent by God to do his bidding. You can see how focused he was on symbolism when you look at the background, which depicts Jesus carrying his cross to Calvary as soldiers proceed to beat him. This symbolizes the sacrifices made for sin to be washed away because Jesus died on the cross, taking the responsibility of all our sins upon himself.

The Medium of Fall of Satan by William Blake

William Blake used watercolors and gold leaf to paint the background of these paintings. He also did a large amount of experimentation with his technique to achieve the look he wanted. Like other artists, he used angels as a theme for many pieces, such as The Great Red Dragon and The Woman Clothed on Sun. He depicted them all with wings because they represent spirituality and how pure spirits can be easily corrupted by their desires.

Current Location

The original painting is located in Tate Britain, and the gallery purchased it on March 15, 1897. The current owner is unknown, and the piece has not been sold at an auction since then. The painting currently sits in a vault inside the museum.