Satan Going Forth fron the Presence of the Lord
1825–26
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
plate: 8 7/16 x 6 5/8 in. (21.4 x 16.8 cm) sheet: 16 3/8 x 10 7/8 in. (41.6 x 27.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Edward Bement, 1917
Accession Number
17.17.1–5
Tags
Art Historical Context
William Blake's *Satan Going Forth from Presence of the Lord*1825–26) is a striking engraving from the visionary artist's late career, capturing a pivotal biblical moment from the Book of Job. In scene, Satan departs from God's presence, poised to test the faithful Job—a theme Blake explored deeply in his *Illustrations of the Book of Job* series. As a Romantic artist and mystic, Blake infused his work with profound spiritual drama, blending human, angelic, and animal forms to evoke the cosmic struggle between divine order and rebellion. Created just before his death in 1827, it reflects his l...
About the Artist
William Blake|William Blake · 1757–1827
William Blake (1757–1827) stands as one of the most visionary and unconventional artists in British history, a poet-painter-printmaker whose mystical imagination and radical vision profoundly shaped the Romantic movement. Born in London's Soho district, Blake experienced visions from childhood—claiming to see angels in trees at age eight—and these spiritual encounters would guide his art throughou...