John Martin
English, 1789–1854
“Bridge Over Chaos” is perhaps John Martin’s best-known composition from “Paradise Lost”, derived from Book 10 and showing Satan, Sin, and Death dwarfed by an enormous stone chasm, with a bridge of rock leading toward a tunnel of light. The artist exploits the strength of the mezzotint process—an ability to reproduce very rich darks contrasted with brilliant lights—to convey the poem’s major theme: the battle of good versus evil.
As with Martin’s paintings, the artist’s dramatic interpretation of the subject matter was key to the success of the publications. The pre-publication advertising emphasized the originality of the designs—typically during this era illustrations of this type were reproductions of other compositions made originally in oil. In this case, Martin created all but one of the illustrations as original mezzotints but he followed his practice of composing for a visually dramatic result. Scholar J. Dustin Wees notes: “The sweeping elements; the chaos comes again; the wonders of that Heaven and Hell which existed before earth was made, are magnificently embodied….”
English, 1789–1854
Bridge Over Chaos
1824–1826
Object Type:
Print
Creation Place:
Northern Europe, English
Dimensions:
7 9/16 in. x 10 5/8 in. (19.21 cm x 26.99 cm)
Medium and Support:
Mezzotint on paper
Accession Number:
2000.0008.0001
Credit Line:
Gift of the Weil Print Endowment in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Weil, Sr.
“Bridge Over Chaos” is perhaps John Martin’s best-known composition from “Paradise Lost”, derived from Book 10 and showing Satan, Sin, and Death dwarfed by an enormous stone chasm, with a bridge of rock leading toward a tunnel of light. The artist exploits the strength of the mezzotint process—an ability to reproduce very rich darks contrasted with brilliant lights—to convey the poem’s major theme: the battle of good versus evil.
As with Martin’s paintings, the artist’s dramatic interpretation of the subject matter was key to the success of the publications. The pre-publication advertising emphasized the originality of the designs—typically during this era illustrations of this type were reproductions of other compositions made originally in oil. In this case, Martin created all but one of the illustrations as original mezzotints but he followed his practice of composing for a visually dramatic result. Scholar J. Dustin Wees notes: “The sweeping elements; the chaos comes again; the wonders of that Heaven and Hell which existed before earth was made, are magnificently embodied….”
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