Who painted Enoch before the Great Glory?

Enoch before the Great Glory was painted by William Blake in 1826.

Where can I see Enoch before the Great Glory?

Enoch before the Great Glory is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Enoch before the Great Glory?

Enoch before the Great Glory is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Enoch before the Great Glory?

Museum-quality prints of Enoch before the Great Glory are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Enoch before the Great Glory

William Blake , 1826

Enoch before the Great Glory 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 left: Book of Enoch; in later hand, upper left: 5 Enoch

About this work

The painting is titled Enoch before the Great Glory. It was created by William Blake in the early 19th century. The artist worked with graphite on laid paper to create this piece, which is part of the Romanticism movement.

You can learn more about this style at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, but also by exploring the work of artist: Blake, William.

Overview

Created circa 1826, Enoch before the Great Glory is a graphite drawing on laid paper by William Blake. Executed in the final year of his life, the work belongs to the series of visionary pieces that dominate Blake’s late output. It presents a biblical figure in a moment of divine encounter, reflecting the artist’s sustained preoccupation with prophetic subject matter.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts the patriarch Enoch at the threshold of celestial revelation, a theme drawn from apocryphal traditions that describe his ascent to heaven. Blake uses the figure to explore notions of spiritual transcendence and the possibility of human communion with the divine, ideas that recur throughout his poetic and visual oeuvre.

Technique & Style

Rendered in graphite on laid paper, the drawing exhibits Blake’s characteristic linear precision and delicate shading. The medium allows for fine hatching that models the figure’s form while preserving a sense of ethereality. The work aligns with Romantic sensibilities, emphasizing imagination, emotional intensity, and a personal vision of the supernatural.

History & Provenance

Blake produced the piece while residing in London, where he spent his entire career as poet, painter, and printmaker. The drawing remained in private hands after his death in 1827 and later entered public collections, though specific acquisition details are sparse. Its survival provides insight into the artist’s late creative phase.

Context

Enoch before the Great Glory emerges from a period when Blake’s art increasingly turned to biblical and prophetic narratives, integrating his poetic themes with visual expression. The work reflects the broader Romantic movement’s fascination with mysticism and the sublime, positioning Blake among contemporaries who sought to convey inner spiritual experiences through art.