The great red dragon and the woman clothed with the sun William Blake, c.1805

Describe

Analyze

Interpret

-dragon
-woman
-edge line
-implied line
-complex shape
-invented shape
-active
-contrast
-in both color and shape
-vertical
-smooth texture
-background has a rougher texture
-positive and negative

-major contrast
-woman: bright,good, smooth
-softer shape
-dragon: dark, angry, evil, rough
-sharp shade
-brightness of woman draws eye to here
-dragon's darkness blends into background
-contrast between the figures adds variation
-uniform background color and texture pulls the piece together
-diagonal movement created by arms, wings, and line

Nga.gov

In this piece, Blake displays a scene of major contrast between good and evil. He portrays this contrast by making the dragon dark, demonic, and edgy, while the woman is kind, bright, and serene. This alone adds variety to the painting. The dark background repeats throughout the piece to unify it. While the dragon seems to fade into the backdrop, the vibrant woman stands out and acts as the focal point of the scene. Because of this, it seems like "good" will come out victorious.