Satan Defying the Powers of Heaven c. late 1790s

This is a preliminary study, in watercolor, by Henry Fuseli for his famous oil painting "Satan Defying the Powers of Heaven". It is a drawing of the figure of Satan in the final painting, his right arm raised in defiance, against a background of swirling clouds. It is in a style that is considered Romanticism, and it features dramatic composition and lighting. This is a great example of how artists used studies like this to prepare for larger and more complex compositions.