Enoch before the Great Glory

Enoch before the Great Glory is a profound late-career drawing executed by William Blake between 1824 and 1827. This work is classified as a drawing, utilizing graphite on laid paper, a humble medium that allowed Blake to explore his visionary subjects with delicate, precise lines and profound spiritual intensity. Though completed slightly past the period of 1801 to 1825, the drawing perfectly encapsulates the aesthetic and thematic concerns that defined Blake’s final creative phase within the British Romantic era.

The subject illustrates the biblical figure Enoch, the righteous ancestor of Noah described in Genesis as a man who "walked with God" and was subsequently taken directly to heaven without experiencing death. Blake depicts Enoch kneeling or bowing reverently, shielding himself from an overwhelming presence, often interpreted as the Great Glory or the face of God. Characteristic of Blake's highly individualized style, the figures are spiritualized, defined by muscular contours and dynamic, often contorted postures that emphasize awe and transcendence in the face of the divine.

Blake’s command of the medium is evident in the nuanced shading and ethereal quality achieved through graphite. He uses light and shadow not merely to define form, but to differentiate the material body of Enoch from the radiating celestial light surrounding the Great Glory. This piece is a powerful example of the visionary mythology that shaped the artist’s entire career. Today, the original drawing resides in the esteemed collection of the National Gallery of Art. As a major work of art approaching two centuries in age, it is widely studied, and high-quality prints derived from the original are frequently available through public domain collections, ensuring Blake’s legacy remains globally accessible.