Where can I see Milton dictant à ses filles son poème épique, « Le paradis perdu »?

Milton dictant à ses filles son poème épique, « Le paradis perdu » is held by Kunsthaus Zürich.

What movement is Milton dictant à ses filles son poème épique, « Le paradis perdu »?

Milton dictant à ses filles son poème épique, « Le paradis perdu » is associated with French Romanticism.

Artwork

Milton dictant à ses filles son poème épique, « Le paradis perdu »

Milton dictant à ses filles son poème épique, « Le paradis perdu » is an oil painting by the French Romanticist artist Eugène Delacroix. It dates from 1827 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich.

About this work

Overview

Eugène Delacroix’s 1827 oil painting portrays the blind poet John Milton dictating his epic *Paradise Lost* to his two daughters.

Eugène Delacroix’s 1827 oil painting portrays the blind poet John Milton dictating his epic *Paradise Lost* to his two daughters. The intimate interior scene is lit by a warm glow from the right, highlighting Milton seated in a chair, a lute‑playing daughter on the left, and a second daughter holding a book on the right. The composition conveys a quiet domestic atmosphere while emphasizing the act of literary transmission.

Subject & Meaning

The work captures a moment of familial devotion, emphasizing the transmission of artistic creation across generations. Milton, despite his blindness, is shown as the source of poetic inspiration, while his daughters embody attentive listeners and future bearers of his legacy. The inclusion of musical and literary props underscores the harmony between poetry, music, and education within the Romantic ideal of emotional depth.

Technique & Style

Delacroix employs his characteristic emphasis on color and movement, favoring rich, saturated tones over strict anatomical exactness. The chiaroscuro of the dim room, combined with the warm light, creates a dramatic contrast that accentuates the figures’ gestures. Influences from Rubens and the Venetian Renaissance appear in the fluid brushwork and the sensuous rendering of fabrics and flesh.

History & Provenance

Completed in 1827, the painting entered the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s commitment to representing French Romanticism and Delacroix’s pivotal role within that movement.

Artist & collection

Artist

Eugène Delacroix

Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix ( DEL-ə-krwah, -⁠KRWAH; French: ; 26 April 1798 – 13 August 1863) was a French Romantic artist who was regarded as the leader of the French Romantic school.