1792
watercolor
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Sin, Death, and the Devil, vide Milton is a 1792 watercolor by James Gillray, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This image shows three wild-looking figures in a chaotic scene. On the left, a man with a crown and red cape is holding a glowing, spiked club. In the middle, a green-skinned creature with horns and wings is grabbing a small child. To the right, a horned figure in a blue skirt and red pants is swinging a flaming sword. The background is dark and swirly, with text bubbles above each character. The title hints this is a play on Milton’s *Paradise Lost*, where Sin, Death, and Satan appear together. The artist used bold colors and exaggerated shapes to make the scene dramatic. Next, look up Gillray, James to see how he mixed humor and politics in his work.
James Gillray (13 August 1756 – 1 June 1815) was an English caricaturist and printmaker famous for his etched political and social satires, mainly published between 1792 and 1810.
See the richer artist page
