The Transfiguration

Art Historical Context

This lithograph, titled *The Transfiguration* and published in 1829, reproduces a design by the English artist John Flaxman through the hand of lithographer W. Walton. Measuring just over 10 by 7 inches, the sheet is identified as a proof before letters—an early impression lacking any added text or inscriptions. Such proofs were often prized by collectors for their clarity and direct connection to the creative process. The itself reflects an important moment in printmaking history. Lithography, still relatively new in the 1820s, offered artists a way to achieve delicate lines and subtle tonal gradations that could closely mimic original drawings. Here the technique serves to translate Flaxman’s characteristically spare, linear style into a reproducible form suitable for wider circulation. Depicting the biblical moment when Christ is revealed in divine glory, the print invites viewers to consider how sacred narratives were shared through affordable yet refined graphic works during the early nineteenth century. Now part of the Rosenwald Collection at the National Gallery of Art, it preserves both the devotional subject and the technical innovations of its era.