Who painted Milton dictating Paradise Lost?

Milton dictating Paradise Lost was painted by Anton Von Bojanowski in 1896.

Where can I see Milton dictating Paradise Lost?

Milton dictating Paradise Lost is held by National Library of Wales.

What movement is Milton dictating Paradise Lost?

Milton dictating Paradise Lost is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Milton dictating Paradise Lost

Anton Von Bojanowski , 1896

Milton dictating Paradise Lost is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Anton Von Bojanowski. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the National Library of Wales.

About this work

Overview

Milton Dictating Paradise Lost is an oil on canvas painting created around 1890 by Anton Von Bojanowski. Measuring 72.5 by 98 centimeters, the work portrays the English poet John Milton in a dim interior, surrounded by figures as he composes his epic poem. The painting belongs to the National Library of Wales Framed Works of Art collection, where it is held under accession number PD06727.

Subject & Meaning

Across the table, a child sits with an open book, gesturing as if responding to the poet's words.

The composition centers on John Milton, who sits in a red upholstered chair on the left, wearing black clothing with a prominent white collar and raising his right hand near his chest as he speaks. Across the table, a child sits with an open book, gesturing as if responding to the poet's words. Behind the child, a woman in a gray dress with white collar and cuffs holds a pen or stylus, while another woman in a light blue bodice and full yellow skirt leans over a large open book to transcribe the dictation. The setting reinforces the literary theme, featuring a table covered with a green and red patterned cloth, a dark wooden cabinet, shelves holding books and a metal vessel, and a floor partly covered by a green rug with red borders.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil paint on canvas, the painting demonstrates a smooth, detailed brushwork that carefully renders the textures of fabrics and the expressions of the faces. Light enters the composition from the left, illuminating the four figures against the shadowy, dim background of the room. This chiaroscuro effect heightens the focus on the figures and the act of dictation, contrasting the illuminated subjects with the dark wooden furniture and shelves behind them.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1890, the painting entered the collection of the National Library of Wales after being bequeathed by D. Hywel Rees in 1933. It remains part of the institution's framed works of art collection under accession number PD06727.

Context

Anton Von Bojanowski produced this portrait genre painting in 1890, a period that saw considerable Victorian interest in literary and historical subjects. The work visualizes the creation of Paradise Lost, an epic poem rooted in extensive classical and scriptural study, from Homer and Ovid to Arthurian legend and Christian theology. By focusing on the act of dictation, the painting acknowledges the historical reality of Milton's blindness later in life, which required him to compose his verse orally and rely on others, including his daughters, to transcribe his words.