The watercolour painted in 1808 is an illustration of John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’, depicting the moment of Eve’s temptation to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Suggested by the title and the physical position of Eve in the centre with Adam behind with his back turned, the blame for the misdemeanour against God falls entirely on Eve. Due to this biblical moment the Christian ideology reinforces male superiority as women are shown to be more susceptible to evil, a story which has led to the patriarchal societal system which prevails in Christian countries.
The colour palette is a dismal grey representing the grim reality of the moment and foreshadowing the devastation that will occur once Adam and Eve are expelled from the garden as a result of the fall, symbolising their banishment from the lush garden to a grey arid wasteland. The tree itself is depicted as dangerous with thorns surrounding it representing God’s command, whilst the fruit is painted with a yellow promising glow suggesting the temptation of the fruit, thus suggesting the prevailing desire for something forbidden.
This painting was commissioned by Blake’s patron Thomas Butts. Blake completed 13 illustrations of Milton’s epic poem, with separate iterations of each work commissioned by John Linnell at Thomas Butts. Blake illustrated Milton’s work more than that of any other writer and worked specifically to redeem any errors he perceived in Milton’s work. In many ways Blake existed outside the artistic cannon of his contemporaries, his work remains immortal due to his distinct and recognisable style which set him apart from the style in which other artists of his era worked.
Reviewed by Alice Dawson
Alice Dawson is an artist and writer based in London, currently completing a Masters in Sculpture at the Royal College of Art. Her work has recently been exhibited at Standpoint Gallery and Filet Project Space, with writing published in the Royal College of Art library. Through sculptural, written and moving image practices, Alice engages with spiritual solutions to societal disorder and ecological destruction, whereby our spiritual connection to the natural world is fundamental to our healing.
