This is the last Plate of William Blake's Illustrations of The Book of Job. We can see it in two forms: the painting or picture and the Engraving. First we see here the picture:
The first thing that may strike you is the marked resemblance to the first one. But there are very obvious differences. In Blake One they are sitting or kneeling, while musical instruments are hanging from the tree above their heads; here they are all standing. In '1' Job and his wife both have books in their laps; here they are playing on their musical instruments. The young daughter between Job and his wife may be holding a musical score and singing.
In '1' the sun is setting over a cathedral, and the moon is rising. (What might that represent??)
In '1' they're all well clothed; here they are diaphanously attired. (what might that represent?)
They are gathered around the Tree of Life.
The animals were asleep; now they're awake.
Look at both of them closely, and you may discover any number of differences, many or all of whom have significant poetic or metaphoric differences.
At the right lower corner we see the ram, and at the other end of the flock of sheep the ewe. In the middle is a dog.
Now let's look at the engraving:
Blake put a lot of scripture on this engraving:
From Revelation 15-3:
Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of Saints
From Job 42:12:
So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning.
And Job 42:16-17: After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons's songs, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days.
Hebrews 10:6: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou has had no pleasure.
No comments:
Post a Comment