The Conflict Between Satan and Death; Satan Contemplating Adam and Eve in Paradise; The Archangel Gabriel Approaching Adam and Eve; Satan Tempting Eve 

John Martin probably made this oil painting in England in the early 19th century. It depicts scenes from Milton's Paradise Lost in which Satan battles with Death, contemplates Adam and Eve, and then tempts Eve. Here we see the power of art to translate literature into vivid visual imagery. The composition emphasizes the moral struggle between good and evil and the corruption of innocence. Martin was working at a time when religious belief was increasingly questioned by scientific and historical advances. The sublime natural landscape provides a stage for human drama, reflecting Romanticism’s fascination with the power of nature. By studying the social and intellectual context of its creation, we can better understand how art shapes and reflects cultural values. Scholarly books, articles, and archival materials will help us dig deeper. This painting reminds us that art is a product of its time, shaped by the social and institutional forces that govern its production and reception.