William Blake's "Ancient of Days" exemplifies the blend of tradition and innovation typical of Blake's work in particular, and of the transition from neoclassicism to romanticism in general. The compasses recall the Enlightenment concern with measurement, observation, precision (see also Blake's use of the compass motif in his color print, "Newton"), while the windswept figure of God reflects the Romantic emphasis on emotional power and recalls the muscular, dramatic, emotionally charged figures of Michelangelo--Blake's most admired artist.