Then Went Satan Forth from the Presence of the Lord - William Blake
Archival giclée
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Description
A detailed engraving from William Blake's Illustrations of the Book of Job, depicting the descent of Satan from the divine presence.
This engraving is plate five from William Blake's celebrated series, Illustrations of the Book of Job. Published in 1825, this work represents the culmination of Blake's long-standing fascination with the biblical narrative. The composition is divided into two distinct realms: the celestial sphere above and the earthly plane below.
In the upper section, a central figure of God sits enthroned, surrounded by a swirling vortex of angelic beings. Below this divine presence, Satan is depicted descending, his form captured in a dynamic, contorted posture that suggests rapid movement. The lower portion of the print shows Job and his wife seated on the ground, accompanied by a small dog, as they encounter a figure who appears to be a messenger or a manifestation of their impending trials. The scene is framed by a decorative border featuring intertwined serpents and flames, which reinforces the thematic tension between divine order and chaotic temptation.
Blake's technique relies on precise, controlled lines to define the musculature of the figures and the ethereal quality of the clouds. The contrast between the stark black ink and the paper creates a sense of dramatic lighting, typical of his graphic work. The inclusion of text within the margins, a hallmark of Blake's illuminated books, provides scriptural context for the visual narrative. This print demonstrates his ability to synthesise complex theological concepts into a singular, coherent image. The work remains a primary example of his late-career mastery in the medium of engraving, reflecting his personal interpretation of the Job story as a struggle between spiritual integrity and external adversity. The clarity of the line work and the balance of the composition demonstrate his technical rigour and his capacity to render metaphysical subjects with tangible, physical weight.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Then Went Satan Forth from the Presence of the Lord - William Blake
Artist Biography
William Blake
He married Catherine Boucher in 1782. She was illiterate at the time and signed the marriage register with an X. He taught her to read, write, and engrave, and she became his collaborator for the next forty-five years: mixing paint, operating the printing press, hand-colouring plates, and binding the finished pages into covers.
Their working method was Blake's own invention, revealed to him (he said) in a dream by the spirit of his dead brother Robert. Relief etching reversed the standard printmaking process: instead of cutting lines into copper, Blake wrote and drew on the plate in acid-resistant varnish, then dissolved the surrounding metal with acid, leaving text and image raised. This allowed him to compose poetry and illustration simultaneously on a single plate, print them together, then hand-colour each sheet in watercolour. Every copy was therefore unique. Songs of Innocence and of Experience was produced this way. He sold fewer than thirty copies during his lifetime.
In 1803, he physically threw a soldier named John Schofield out of his garden in Felpham. He was charged with assault and with uttering treasonable expressions against the King. He was acquitted at the Chichester assizes in January 1804.
Newton, painted in 1795, shows the scientist as a young man with the body of a Greek god, bent forward at the bottom of a dark ocean, fixing his gaze on a pair of compasses, measuring and drawing on a scroll that appears to project from his own head. It is a painting about the limits of reason: beautiful, precise, and missing everything beyond the edge of the paper. The Ancient of Days, from the same period, depicts his mythological figure Urizen crouching at the edge of a void, reaching down with a compass to measure the darkness below.
He died on 12 August 1827, working on illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy. He was buried at Bunhill Fields. The wider recognition came decades later.
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