Artist, Engraver, and Illustrator. A prolific and successful Romantic era painter, he high acclaim for his melodramatic works of religious subjects and Biblical themes, along with fantasy art, which were immensely popular and in great demand during his life. With almost no formal artistic training, he was self-taught during his youth and at age 21 he submitted his first oil painting to the British Royal Academy of Arts in London, England where it was finally displayed two years later. That same year, he sold his first major work, "Sadak in Search of the Waters of Oblivion" and his artistic career began to climb. During this time, he also became a mezzotint engraver, often earning more from his engravings than his paintings. In 1823 he was commissioned to provide illustrations to English poet John Milton's famous poem "Paradise Lost", which included "Satan Presiding at the Infernal Council" and "Pandemonium." When he wasn't painting, he often tinkered with inventions and engineering designs. His other notable artworks include "Belshazzar's Feast" (1820), "The Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum" (1822), "The Seventh Plague of Egypt" (1823), "The Evening of the Deluge" (1828), "Destruction of Tyre" (1840), "The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah" (1852), and his 1853 trilogy "The Last Judgment", "The Great Day of His Wrath", and "The Plains of Heaven." Not long after completing his trilogy, he suffered a stroke from which he never recovered and died the following year at the age of 64. Many of his paintings are currently on display at major art galleries and museums in the US, England, and France.
Artist, Engraver, and Illustrator. A prolific and successful Romantic era painter, he high acclaim for his melodramatic works of religious subjects and Biblical themes, along with fantasy art, which were immensely popular and in great demand during his life. With almost no formal artistic training, he was self-taught during his youth and at age 21 he submitted his first oil painting to the British Royal Academy of Arts in London, England where it was finally displayed two years later. That same year, he sold his first major work, "Sadak in Search of the Waters of Oblivion" and his artistic career began to climb. During this time, he also became a mezzotint engraver, often earning more from his engravings than his paintings. In 1823 he was commissioned to provide illustrations to English poet John Milton's famous poem "Paradise Lost", which included "Satan Presiding at the Infernal Council" and "Pandemonium." When he wasn't painting, he often tinkered with inventions and engineering designs. His other notable artworks include "Belshazzar's Feast" (1820), "The Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum" (1822), "The Seventh Plague of Egypt" (1823), "The Evening of the Deluge" (1828), "Destruction of Tyre" (1840), "The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah" (1852), and his 1853 trilogy "The Last Judgment", "The Great Day of His Wrath", and "The Plains of Heaven." Not long after completing his trilogy, he suffered a stroke from which he never recovered and died the following year at the age of 64. Many of his paintings are currently on display at major art galleries and museums in the US, England, and France.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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