The First Temptation - William Blake
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
Secure checkout
Made to order
Description
A delicate watercolour illustration by William Blake depicting a scene from Milton's Paradise Regained, showcasing the artist's signature linear style.
This work is one of twelve watercolours created by William Blake to illustrate John Milton's epic poem, Paradise Regained. Blake, a visionary poet and artist, frequently turned to the works of Milton for inspiration, finding in them a rich source of theological and moral drama. This specific composition depicts the first temptation of Christ in the wilderness, where Satan, disguised, challenges the divinity of Jesus.
Blake employs his characteristic linear style, using fine pen and ink outlines to define the figures before applying delicate washes of watercolour. The central figure of Christ stands with arms raised, a gesture of spiritual authority and resistance. To the left, the tempter appears in a golden robe, while other figures flank the scene, their postures suggesting a state of contemplation or witness. The background features stylized, arching forms that evoke a sense of enclosure, typical of Blake's approach to spatial representation where the physical setting is secondary to the psychological or spiritual state of the subjects.
The palette is restrained, relying on soft ochres, muted blues, and pale greys. This choice of colour avoids distraction, allowing the viewer to focus on the interaction between the figures and the tension inherent in the narrative moment. Blake's work often blurs the line between the physical world and the spiritual realm, a trait clearly visible here in the ethereal quality of the figures and the non-naturalistic treatment of the environment. As a master of printmaking and illustration, Blake brings a unique interpretive lens to Milton's text, prioritising the emotional and symbolic weight of the scene over literal accuracy. This print offers a glimpse into the private, imaginative world of one of Britain's most singular artistic figures.
Return policy
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.
Shipping
We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
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
The First Temptation - 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.
Why Choose Us ?
Damage-free delivery guarantee
Fast Shipping
Museum-Quality Materials
You May Also Like