Art Institute of Chicago

Fall of Nineveh, from Illustrations of the Bible

John Martin

Date

1835

Medium

Mezzotint in black on ivory wove paper

Culture

England

Department

Prints and Drawings

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

After gaining early fame with his impressive biblical paintings and earning recognition as a printmaker, John Martin returned to biblical themes later in life with Illustrations of the Bible . The mezzotint process, in which the entire plate is roughened and then burnished to create highlights, accentuated Martin’s breathtaking visions of the Bible. He changed his usual literal approach to illustration and took some liberties with the text in these portrayals. Unfortunately, due perhaps to its high price and the glut of prints in the market, Illustrations of the Bible was a commercial failure and the series was never completed.

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