Pandemonium (Mezzotint) | John Martin | 1823-27

Pandemonium is a mezzotint created by John Martin between 1823 and 1827 as part of his celebrated illustrations for John Milton’s Paradise Lost. The composition represents the infernal capital built by the fallen angels under the leadership of Satan, rendered as an immense architectural vision that combines classical grandeur with apocalyptic drama. Martin uses light strategically, allowing the glowing city to emerge from an overwhelming darkness, which intensifies the sense of scale and theatricality. The work reflects the Romantic fascination with the sublime, particularly the idea of human ambition confronted with cosmic forces. Unlike traditional biblical imagery that focuses on moral didacticism, Martin emphasizes spectacle and spatial vastness, inviting the viewer to contemplate the seductive power of rebellion and the terrifying beauty of damnation. The mezzotint technique enhances tonal depth and atmospheric contrast, reinforcing the monumental and visionary quality that made Martin one of the most commercially successful artists of his time.