Artwork
An Angel Teaching a Daughter of Men the Secrets of Sin
An Angel Teaching a Daughter of Men the Secrets of Sin is a graphite drawing by the Romanticist artist William Blake. It dates from 1826 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:upper center: from the Book of Enoch; in later hand, lower center: .2
About this work
Overview
Created around 1826, An Angel Teaching a Daughter of Men the Secrets of Sin is a graphite drawing on laid paper by William Blake, exemplifying his late-period style characterized by complex, allegorical compositions.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a supernatural being (an angel) imparting forbidden knowledge to a naked human woman, exploring themes of morality, innocence, and experience through symbolic interaction.
Technique & Style
Executed in loose, rapid graphite lines on light-colored paper, the work features swirling motifs around the central figure, suggestive of movement or energy, in a characteristic example of Blake's expressive draftsmanship.
History & Provenance
Part of Blake's late output, this drawing remained largely unseen during his lifetime, only later gaining recognition as part of his pivotal contribution to Romantic-era visual culture.
Context
Reflecting Blake's engagement with visionary imagery, this piece aligns with his broader artistic and poetic explorations of the human condition, morality, and the spiritual.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter and printmaker.
![Time's Triple Bow [recto], by William Blake](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/william-blake--time-s-triple-bow-recto--dc15bf51bd241980-w320.webp)
![A Resurrection Scene (The Gambols of Ghosts) [recto], by William Blake](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/william-blake--a-resurrection-scene-the-gambols-of-ghosts-recto--f5621911b14e7435-w320.webp)
![Studies for a Monument with Angels Reaching Down to a Praying Figure [recto and verso], by John Flaxman](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/john-flaxman--studies-for-a-monument-with-angels-reaching-down-to-a-prayin--9d789ab993a76a50-w320.webp)
