Artwork
Christ Appearing to His Disciples After the Resurrection

Christ Appearing to His Disciples After the Resurrection is a tempera print by the Romanticist artist William Blake. It dates from 1795 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1795, this hand‑colored monotype by William Blake portrays a post‑Resurrection encounter between Christ and his followers. Executed in watercolor and tempera on a single print, the image combines muted blues, yellows and earth tones, illuminated by a gentle, warm light that emphasizes the intimate setting.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, a bare‑chested, long‑haired man with a beard, stands over two kneeling figures. One disciple raises his hands in a gesture of awe, while a child peeks from behind a blanket, suggesting both revelation and protection. The outstretched hand of the standing figure conveys a moment of comfort or divine instruction.
Technique & Style
Blake employed the monotype process, printing a single impression from a painted plate, then added color by hand with watercolor and tempera. The resulting surface retains the spontaneity of a direct brushstroke while allowing precise, layered coloration, characteristic of Blake’s experimental approach to printmaking.
History & Provenance
Blake, an English poet and visual artist active in London, produced this work during the height of his creative output in the 1790s. Though little recognized in his lifetime, the piece reflects his lifelong fascination with prophetic and spiritual themes, aligning with his broader corpus of religious imagery.
Context
The image exemplifies Romanticism’s interest in personal vision, emotion, and the supernatural. Blake’s emphasis on inner revelation and his departure from classical restraint place the work within the movement’s turn toward individual imagination and spiritual experience.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter and printmaker.
















