Monday, June 03, 2013

Job 12



(Pictures thanks to Book of Job at University of Adelaide.)
 In the Engraving of this Plate Blake displayed six sayings from the first chapter of Genesis.  In the top a verse from Job:
"Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion" (Job 38:31)


Let there be light (Genesis 1:3)
Let there be a firmament (Genesis 1:6)
Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear (Genesis 1:9)
And God made two great lights (Genesis 1:16)
Let the waters bring forth abundantly (Genesis 1:20)
Let the earth bring forth the living creatures...cattle, and creeping thing, the beasts of the earth (Genesis 1:24)

At the bottom "When the morning stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy" (Job 38:7)
And below "Published  in London, March 8, 1825....William Blake ..Fountain Court Strand.


A copy of Blake's Book of Job is found in the BlakeArchive and the Description says that there are "four youthful male angels. All are winged and partly nude, with indications of knee-length gowns or drapery; their arms overlap at 135 degree angles"

In the middle of the image is a picture of God in the act of Creation. The figure under his arm is thought to be " a sun god, perhaps Apollo".  Under his left arm is a female  beside the moon  controlling two serpents, perhaps "Diana or Hecate"

In the lower section on the right we see Job's three friends.   Job is in the center and his wife on the left.

Looking at the picture one can easily perceive the bottom part as a cave.  In his vision Job perceives Creation anew.  In my mind this is comparable to a New Birth.

Raine's Golgonooza page 140:
"the theme is epiphany, for creation is completed in mankind's vision of God as the Divine Humanity

The Title Page of The Book of Job shows the seven elohim, the creators; the averted face of the seventh spirit has been revealed to Job as the face of humanity"

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