Lilith with a Snake

"Lilith with a Snake" by John Collier (1886) is a striking example of a Mythological painting created in the style of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. The artwork depicts Lilith, a figure from Mesopotamian myth, portrayed with mythic symbolism and an intense, emotional atmosphere characteristic of Romanticism. Collier's detailed and vivid portrayal emphasizes themes of temptation and danger, as Lilith is shown intertwined with a snake, referencing her mythological associations. The painting, held in the Atkinson Art Gallery, exemplifies the artist's fascination with mythic and symbolic subjects, blending literary and mythological elements into a powerful visual narrative.