Arthur and Aegle in the Happy Valley

John Martin was a British painter whose dramatically lit apocalyptic and biblical scenes established him as a master of catastrophic landscape during the 19th century. Working primarily in oils and watercolor, his compositions featured vast architectural ruins, towering cliffs, and crowds of figures rendered infinitesimal against sublime natural and supernatural forces. His mezzotint prints, widely circulated and collected, brought his visionary imagery to a popular audience. Martin's theatrical use of chiaroscuro and his ambitious scale influenced both Romantic painting and later developments in history painting and landscape.