America

Yale Center for British Art

America

Title Plate

At PAINE & BLAKE 2  the picture was used at the beginning of an essay on the two men.

Many or most of Blake's plates show two (upper and lower) levels: the one above relates to what we see as Heaven or the Eternal; the one below relates to 'this world'.

Here I design to describe the picture for itself:

(From Illuminated Blake, page 138)
The lower level is a scene of warfare: notice the two (severed or prone?) heads to the right and left. 

Above them is a fallen soldier, still clutching his sword; a woman overshadows him, hoping to revive him with a kiss.

The upper level, between America and Prophecy shows two figures turned away, perhaps sitting on a rock or cloud?  On the right a portly or large man with a woman on his back and an arm pointing out.

In front of him is a flying figure heading onward.

On the left is a woman, bent over, perhaps reading a book. Behind her is a smaller figure sitting on the cloud with his back propped up against the back of the larger figure.

In front of her is  a smaller figure perhaps reading the book with her.