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In this plate from Milton (1967 facsimile), a muscular nude male figure seems to be placing his hands violently on an older figure. The older male has long flowing hair and wears a long robe, seeming to potentially represent Moses. Blake scholars, however, theorize that the older figure is supposed to represent the god-like figure of oppression from Blake’s own mythology, Urizen, while the younger figure represents Milton, the epic hero of this poem. As Milton raises his hands to Urizen in a threatening manner, his stance splits the word “selfhood” at the bottom of the plate. Urizen holds a broken tablet containing Hebrew writing with one half of the tablet in each hand. Above the struggle between the two men stand several human figures holding musical instruments. They all appear angelic or cherubic in dress. Behind them, a vivid sunset appears to set the sky on fire.
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In this plate from Milton (1967 facsimile), a muscular male figure, believed to represent William Blake himself, stands in the center of the plate with his eyes towards the sky and his arms outstretched. Dark billowing clouds that border the top of the plate range in color from black to rust. Parallel to Blake’s knee in the image on the plate is a glowing comet in the shape of a traditional star. In the poem, this comet is the descending spirit of Milton, who enters Blake's foot and uses it as a halfway point between Heaven and the human world. There are also steps in the left of the plate which Blake appears to have just walked down.
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This plate from Milton (1967 facsimile) features a large body of text above a relatively simple illustration. In the image, a man walks on a path alongside a seaside cottage. The man is dressed in a formal blue coat and has short, dark hair. Above the cottage, an angelic figure looks down at the man. Blake scholars believe that the man in this plate is William Blake, and that the cottage is his cottage at Felpham where he resided between 1800 and 1803 while working on a commission for writer William Hayley as well as on Milton. The angelic figure is a representation of Ololon, a spiritual component of Milton.
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Two muscular males are the center of this plate from Milton (1967 facsimile). Both are clothed only in loincloths. In front of a radiant sun, and seeming larger than life, is the figure of Blake’s mythological figure of poetic energy and imagination, Los. His arms are bent at the elbows and his palms face upwards, while his face is turned downwards. Crouching in front of him is a figure who appears to look up at Los in awe.
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The central figure in this image from Milton (1967 facsimile) is a female figure with flowing blond locks of hair. Her arms are raised up towards the sky, and a blue robe flows from her fingertips to the earth beneath her feet. This female is likely Ololon, a spirit symbolic of the character of Milton. On either side of her are male figures who face towards the center to look at her. They are encased in some sort of multi-colored cocoon that appears to be made of a soft material, such as grains or feathers. At the top of the plate are the words that end the epic poem: “To go Forth to the Great Harvest & Vintage of the Nations. Finis.”
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A male figure takes up the foreground in this image from Songs of Innocence (1954 facsimile). He is holding a wooden musical instrument that looks to be some type of flute. He stares at a cherubic figure that is flying above him. Two tall, lush trees frame the illustration on this plate. Behind the male figure are acres of crops or pasture land with grazing sheep. The whole effect is one of sweet, pastoral inspiration.
The coloring and impact of this frontispiece should be compared to that of other reproductions in the library’s collections, made by different hands or from different original copies.
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On title page of Songs of Innocence (1954 facsimile), a mother, clad in a long pink gown and a white bonnet, sits upright in a chair while children kneel by her feet. In her lap is a large book in which the children appear to be engrossed. The illustrations of the children are mostly devoid of color. Behind the scene of the mother and children reading together is a deep blue colored lake. In the foreground of the illustration is a tree trunk that appears old and rotten, but has a large fertile branch extending from it. The branch splits into several parts that form the title, Songs of Innocence. Small human figures and birds perch on the various letters that make up the word Songs. The effect is calm, peaceful, and full of promise.
The coloring and impact of this image should be compared to that of other reproductions in the library’s collections, made by different hands or from different original copies.
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Two flowers bloom from a patch of grass in the bottom right corner of this plate from Songs of Innocence (1954 facsimile). One flower is still drooping and not fully formed. The other is a magnificent fuchsia and has opened its petals. Between the petals sits a young woman wearing a long yellow gown and holding a newborn child. A female figure with wings wearing a blue gown stands across from the woman with arms extended, as if she is waiting to hold the child. The words “Infant Joy” are in light cursive writing at the top of the plate, with the rest of the poem nestled in between the stems of the flowers. The image reflects the “sweet joy” of the poem.
The coloring and impact of this image should be compared to that of other reproductions in the library’s collections, made by different hands or from different original copies.
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In this illustration from Songs of Innocence (1954 facsimile), there are small scenes at the top and bottom of the plate. The top scene shows a line of uniformed boys walking two by two behind two older men wearing long coats, hats, and carrying some form of stick. In the bottom scene, girls walk two by two in the opposite direction as the boys. They wear long blue dresses with white aprons and bonnets. Leading them is a woman in a very plain dress who appears to be carrying a basket. Between these two orderly scenes is the text of the poem, throughout which small vines are drawn. The title, “Holy Thursday,” is also surrounded by vines beneath the topmost scene.
The coloring and impact of this image should be compared to that of other reproductions in the library’s collections, made by different hands or from different original copies.
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A child feeds a small lamb from the palm of his hand in the foreground of this image from Songs of Innocence (1954 facsimile). The two are framed by thick green vines that border the illustration on this plate. Behind them is a field filled with grazing sheep. To the right of the herd is a cottage with a thatched straw roof. Trees give the cottage shade from the sun, which appears to be shining despite the deep purple sky (which could also be meant to be a mountain; this shape is not engraved on the plate). Vines surround the bulk of the text on this page, except for the title which appears above the vines in a larger font.
The coloring and impact of this image should be compared to that of other reproductions in the library’s collections, made by different hands or from different original copies.
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On the combined title pages for Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1955 facsimile), two human figures, nude save for branches that act as loincloths, are both positioned horizontally in despairing postures with their faces obstructed from view. The figure on the ground appears to be female, and hovering inches above her is a male figure. Blake scholars theorize that these figures are intended to be Adam and Eve fleeing from the Garden of Eden. They cling to the verdant field beneath them as the sky is streaked with flames. The flames transform into smoke that forms the word “Songs” at the top of the image. Several orange-colored birds fly throughout the words of the title.
The coloring and impact of this image should be compared to that of other reproductions in the library’s collections, made by different hands or from different original copies.
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In the title page for Songs of Experience, included in the combined edition of Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1955 facsimile), an elderly couple appears to have died recently. They lie side by side in a bed with their arms stretched out flat at their sides. At the foot of the bed, on either side, is a woman in a blue-green dress. Both women appear to be distressed and have their hands in front of them in grief or prayer. The sky is a beautiful mix of blue, yellow, and pink. The words that comprise the title are surrounded by delicate pink flowers, as well as two figures with legs extended in a sort of dance pose. The picture beautifully juxtaposes joy and agony - surely two key components of ‘experience’.
The coloring and impact of this image should be compared to that of other reproductions in the library’s collections, made by different hands or from different original copies.
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In this image from the “experience” section of Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1955 facsimile), an old man with a long beard and a dirty robe walks through the streets of, presumably, London. He is using a crutch, as well as getting assistance from a small boy. The streets are dim and dirty. A beam of light shines down upon the old man and the boy. In the bottom sector of the plate, a man clothed in green warms his hands by a raging fire. The smoke billows up into the top half of the plate.
The coloring and impact of this image should be compared to that of other reproductions in the library’s collections, made by different hands or from different original copies.
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In the frontispiece to The Book of Ahania (1973 facsimile), Ahania, the female counterpart of Urizen, is naked and crouched on top of a grassy hill. Behind her, the figure of Urizen hovers over her, inspecting her golden locks of hair. The sky is bright red and orange, indicating either a powerful sunset or referencing fire and Hell.
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In the title page to The Book of Ahania (1973 facsimile), a female angel floats freely through the sky, arms outstretched, seeming to push back against the forces around her. This gowned figure is likely Ahania, who was thought to “float amongst chaos.” Her golden hair flows behind her. She seems to be flying from the darkness into blue sky.
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In this image from The Book of Los (1976 facsimile), we see the “Eno aged mother” that Blake refers to in the opening line of the poem. She is seated beneath “the eternal Oak” with her knees upright and together. Her lips are parted as if she is preparing to sing or speak. Her gown is gray tinged with blue and green, and her hair is long and silver.
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In the title page to The Book of Los (1976 facsimile), a male figure, perhaps Los, is crouching naked in a rocky cave of sorts. He does not face the reader, but rather looks into the darkness of the cave. Blake scholars hypothesize that the positioning of Los in this image indicates that here he is a symbol of fallen humanity.
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For the title page to The Book of Thel (1965 facsimile), Thel wears a white gown and holds a shepherd's crook while standing at the base of an arched, drooping tree. Nature is everywhere: vines surround the tree, a large body of water stands in the background, several birds fly overhead, and two large red flowers blossom from the ground. Seeming to emerge from one of these flowers is a golden-hued female figure, who is embraced by a floating male figure.
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This image from The Book of Thel (1965 facsimile) is reminiscent of previous lines in the poem, wherein Thel is “like a watry bow ... like shadows in the water.” In the poetry featured on this plate, Thel is speaking to the Worm and the Clod of Clay. Both creatures are attempting to use their experiences in the natural world’s life cycle to comfort Thel about her mortality. They cite a higher purpose that makes their lowly state seem important in the grand scheme of things. The art features Thel facing her own reflection in a still body of water. A radiant sunrise or sunset fills the backdrop and features bright pinks and softer blues. Drooping trees line the bank of the lake. Human figures lay at the feet of Thel, extending their arms towards her.
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This plate from The Book of Thel appears either at the beginning or the end, depending on which copy is used as a model. In the facsimile by the Trianon Press published in 1965, it appears at the end. Thel’s motto is a representation of her struggle with questions of mortality and meaning in this book. The art on the plate is rather simple. The script is in a copper tone with the name Thel in large capital letters towards the top of the plate. Gentle, pastel-colored strokes of paint surround the poetry and extend towards the corners of the plate.
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On the title page to The Book of Urizen (1958 facsimile), an elderly male figure, presumably Urizen, sits on top of a large book. Withered trees above him form several arches. Beneath the trees are two stone tablets with no visible writing on them. The overall color scheme of this particular plate is very dark and oppressive, with many of the images colored to seem as if they are rusting and rotting. Urizen’s eyes are closed, but eerily, completely white, so that it seems as if he is making direct, blinded contact with the person viewing the artwork.
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In this image from The Book of Urizen (1958 facsimile), a muscular and naked figure, possibly Urizen himself, is diving, falling, or lingering above the earth. His hands are extended in front of him in order to brace himself on two rocks. He is surrounded by dark clouds. This image is part of a series in this work depicting the chaotic strife among the forces that are in conflict with each other.
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In this image The Book of Urizen (1958 facsimile), Los appears doubled over, perhaps in pain. His hands are pressed against the side of his head with palms flat, as if he is squeezing his head. His sweat and blood drips all down his body and into a glowing orb in the center of the image. This orb is thought to be the growing Enitharmon, who was the first female figure that emerged from the life blood of Los. In a way, this is a creation image.
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The title page for the For Children version of The Gates of Paradise (1968 facsimile) is very simple. The words of the title, as well as the publishing information, are written in simple font and spread throughout the plate. Beneath the word “children” is a simple human-like figure that appears to be flying through the air.