The Day of Judgment

The Day of Judgment by William Blake English, 1757-1827, is a monumental drawing created in 1805. This powerful composition was rendered using pen and gray and black inks and watercolor, meticulously applied over graphite. Blake utilized a specialized technique, including scraping, to achieve luminous highlights and textural depth on the cream wove paper, which was subsequently laid down on tan board. This intricate process speaks to Blake’s mastery of the demanding medium, classifying the work primarily as a drawing despite its heavy reliance on pigment.

The subject of the Last Judgment was a recurring and central theme in Blake’s deeply spiritual and often esoteric body of work. Produced in England at the height of the Romantic period, this piece reflects the artist's unique visionary theology and his rejection of orthodox artistic conventions. Blake often depicted biblical and mythological narratives not merely as illustration, but as expressions of profound inner experience, rendering figures with muscular, often exaggerated forms derived from Michelangelo and mannerist predecessors. The scale of the imagined scene in the 1805 drawing is vast, depicting the moment of divine reckoning and the chaotic separation of the saved and the damned.

This significant work demonstrates Blake’s mature style, characterized by intense emotion and dramatic composition. As one of the most important English artists of his era, Blake’s influence extends far beyond his lifetime. This particular sheet is a cornerstone of the Art Institute of Chicago's collection of British drawings. Due to its age and historical importance, high-resolution images and prints of this key work are frequently made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring widespread study of Blake’s visionary art.