Illustration to Milton`s On the Morning of Christ`s Nativity 1815

William Blake's watercolor illustration to Milton's 'On the Morning of Christ's Nativity' visualizes the poem's themes of light and darkness, and the overthrow of pagan gods with the birth of Christ. Blake made this illustration in England, a country undergoing massive social change brought about by the Industrial Revolution and the rise of scientific rationalism. Blake saw these movements as a threat to the spiritual and imaginative life. He positions his art in opposition to what he understood to be the dehumanizing effects of industrial capitalism. Here, the pagan god is depicted in the center of the frame, surrounded by his collapsing empire. Above, a celestial vision signifies the Christian alternative. Blake's use of color and dynamic composition enhances the sense of drama and transition. To better understand Blake's vision, one could examine his other illuminated books, read contemporary theological debates, or explore the social history of the Romantic era. The meaning of art like this is always contingent on the social and intellectual world in which it was made.