GENERAL DESCRIPTION
This painting by Johann Heinrich Fuseli is a quintessential example of the themes that preoccupied many artists during the last decades of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th century, with the dawning of romanticism. Centered upon the sharply lit sculptural anatomy of the enthroned Satan, this dramatic painting depicts the astonishing moment of the birth of Sin, who bursts forth from Satan’s head like Athena from Zeus. The subject is from Book II of John Milton’s poem, Paradise Lost, lines 746–758:
All on a sudden miserable pain
Surprised thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzy swum
In darkness, while thy head flames thick and fast
Threw forth, till on the left side opening wide,
Likest to thee in shape and countenance bright,
Then shining heavenly fair, a goddess armed,
Out of thy head I sprung. Amazement seized...
Adapted from
Dorothy Kosinski, DMA label copy, 1997.
NOTES
Created c. 1796-99
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Artist/designers
Fuseli, Johann Heinrich (Swiss, active in England, 1741-1825)
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WEB RESOURCES
- The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles~Read a biography of Johann Heinrich Fuseli.
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Apply to objects where number equals 1996.104.FA
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General Description
This painting by Johann Heinrich Fuseli is a quintessential example of the themes that preoccupied many artists during the last decades of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th century, with the dawning of romanticism. Centered upon the sharply lit sculptural anatomy of the enthroned Satan, this dramatic painting depicts the astonishing moment of the birth of Sin, who bursts forth from Satan’s head like Athena from Zeus. The subject is from Book II of John Milton’s poem, Paradise Lost, lines 746–758:
All on a sudden miserable pain
Surprised thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzy swum
In darkness, while thy head flames thick and fast
Threw forth, till on the left side opening wide,
Likest to thee in shape and countenance bright,
Then shining heavenly fair, a goddess armed,
Out of thy head I sprung. Amazement seized...
Adapted from
Dorothy Kosinski, DMA label copy, 1997.
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
Notes
Created c. 1796-99
Checked Piction
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Fuseli, Johann Heinrich (Swiss, active in England, 1741-1825)
Cultures
Geography
Process/materials
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
1996.104.FA
source file
object_notes_2_c-0167.xml.nores