Satan, Sin, and Death: "Death and Sin met by Satan on his Return from Earth" 1792 - 1795

James Barry made this ink drawing called "Satan, Sin, and Death" sometime in the late 18th century. During Barry's lifetime, European society was grappling with shifting ideas about morality and the sublime. Here, Barry illustrates a scene from Milton's *Paradise Lost*. We see Satan, a muscular, heroic figure, encountering Sin and Death at the gates of Hell. Sin, often interpreted as Satan's daughter, raises her arms in distress, embodying the anguish and despair that Milton associates with the female form. Death, looming in the background, reminds us of the ever-present consequences of sin. Barry's treatment of these figures diverges from traditional representations. Rather than monstrous figures, they appear as complex, human-like characters caught in a web of existential conflict. Barry may have felt, like Milton, that "It is more easy to form just notions of great men in a state of rebellion, than in a state of obedience." Barry's drawing invites us to reflect on our own understanding of good and evil. It challenges us to confront the darker aspects of human nature. It encourages us to consider how power, gender, and morality intertwine to shape our world.