Artnautics: The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun

William Blake (November 1757 – August 1827) was an English painter, poet and printmaker with an original artistic expression during the Romantic period. He remained unknown during his productive career, but became a crucial figure during the later stages of his life. "Blake stands alone in the history of British art; his paintings, prints and poetry evoke a private world of religious, mythic and philosophical themes of searing originality." (Tsaneva, Maria (2013-12-26). William Blake: 100 Masterpieces (Annotated Masterpieces Book 72) (Kindle Locations 142-144). Maria Tsaneva. Kindle Edition.

"He believed that the visible world of the senses is an unreal envelope behind which the spiritual reality is concealed and set himself the impossible task of creating a visual symbolism for the expression of his spiritual visions". Tsaneva, Maria (2013-12-26). William Blake: 100 Masterpieces (Annotated Masterpieces Book 72) (Kindle Locations 36-38). Maria Tsaneva. Kindle Edition.

The Great Red Dragon Paintings(circa 1805-1810) are a series of watercolor paintings that offer some insight into William Blake's visionary romantic style. It was during they early 1800s that Blake was commissioned to create over a hundred paintings intended to illustrate books of the Bible. These paintings depict 'The Great Red Dragon' in various scenes from the Book of Revelation.

(3)"And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.(4) And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born." Rev 12:3-4 KJV

The verse refers to John the Apostle's descriptive vision in the Book of Revelations of the Great Red Dragon, Satan, trying to seize or devour the soon-to-be born Redeemer from his mother. The figure known as the Woman Clothed with the Sun is the Virgin Mary and she is a symbol for Israel and for the Church. Blake's threatening Dragon displays powerful musculature as well as its monstrous tail, wings, and horned heads.