Satan Smiting Job with Boils

Satan Smiting Job with Boils is an engraving created by William Blake between 1825 and 1826. This powerful print is one of twenty-two illustrations Blake produced for the biblical Book of Job, commissioned by the painter John Linnell. The work depicts the dramatic moment when, having received divine permission to test Job's faith, the Devil torments the righteous man, inflicting him with painful boils from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet.

Blake masterfully utilizes the sharp contrast and linear precision inherent in the engraving technique to heighten the spiritual and dramatic tension. The composition centers on the figures of Job and Satan, integrating the subjects of Men and the Devil into a unified, symbolic tableau. Job is shown suffering and prone, his body wracked with pain, while the terrifying figure of Satan hovers above him, radiating malevolent energy. Though the focus is on these two central figures, the presence of other Men and Women- often represented by Job’s wife and friends in the broader series- serves as a witness to the profound affliction and theological struggle at hand. Blake’s visionary interpretation emphasizes the conflict between human faith, earthly suffering, and divine will.

This series represents the culmination of Blake's lifelong engagement with religious allegory and his distinct late style, which favors powerful simplicity over complex ornamentation. As highly regarded prints, these late works by Blake remain crucial to understanding the history of English Romanticism and illustration. This specific plate is held in the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of the artwork's age and its status as a historical masterwork, high-quality images of this work are frequently found in the public domain, allowing students and enthusiasts worldwide to study Blake's profound theological interpretations.