The Fall of the Rebel Angels
Description:
Lucifer and his fellow angels are cast out of Heaven, falling into a deep chasm with sheer rock walls textured by what appears to be tree roots. The chasm is illuminated by light from the opening through which the angels fall, but it is otherwise in deep shadow. The angels grasp their spears and shields as they plummet into the seemingly bottomless pit, simultaneously stuck by falling stones.
Copyright:
Copyright 2009, Chazen Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Primary Works:
John Milton's Paradise Lost (published for Septimus Prowett in 1827 and for Charles Tilt in 1833)
Accession Number:
1993.5
Height (in centimeters):
35
Width (in centimeters):
25
Printing Context
The Fall of the Rebel Angels appeared in the 1827 and 1833 editions of Paradise Lost, published by Septimus Prowett and Charles Tilt, respectively, as an illustration.Associated Texts
John Milton’s Paradise Lost (first published in 1667)Subject
The stark contrast between light and shadow given in the mezzotint shows the dramatic difference between Heaven (the light) and Hell (the blackness at the bottom of the chasm). The image offers something of the sublime, indicating a paradise above and a nightmare below that are themselves unseen.Significance
John Martin was one of the most popular artists of his day. The artist Thomas Cole, the author Victor Hugo, and the composer Hector Berlioz all drew inspiration from Martin’s work. He was one of the few painters who did his own engravings. The text of Paradise Lost itself was also a consistent source of inspiration for Romantic art. The “Pandemonium” scene, in which Satan gathers his armies by the lake of fire, was the main attraction in Jean-Phillipe de Loutherbourg’s Eidophusikon in 1782; a critic described the image as “one of the most sublime spectacles ever produced by the hand of science” (McCalman 192). The idea of the Romantic hero—the rebellious, independent, ambitious, and often outcast, individual—cast the character of Satan in a new light, and contributed to re-interpretations of the poem. To complement this renewed interest in Milton's epic, new printing technologies made it possible to illustrate older works. The dramatic light and dark effects of Martin’s mezzotints were a perfect fit for the supernatural drama of Paradise Lost (Balston 99).Function
This image illustrates a scene from Milton's Paradise Lost.Bibliography
Balston, Thomas. John Martin, 1799-1854, his Life and Works. London: Duckworth, 1947. Print.Long Title
John Martin, The Fall of the Rebel Angels, 1824-1826, Mezzotint with etching, 34.93 cm x 25.24 cm (7.25 in. x 10.5 in.), Edward Blake Blair Endowment Fund Purchase, 1993.5Featured in Exhibit:
From the Collection:
Engraver:
Image Date:
1826
