GRAPHIC MUSE

British Museum
The Graphic Muse
Engraving after Sir Joshua Reynolds

This post came about because I came across an image in the collection of the British Museum by William Blake after Sir Joshua Reynolds. I was surprised to see it because I was aware of the contentious relationship between Blake and Reynolds. Apparently the publisher of the book in which Blake's engraving appeared arranged the commission for Blake.

The website of the Royal Academy published this statement about the image:
 
An Inquiry Into The Requisite Cultivation And Present State Of The Arts Of Design In England. By Prince Hoare.

The frontispiece shows a drawing of 'The Graphic Muse' holding a scroll inscribed 'Theory'. The two-page publisher's advertisement has the title, 'Books recently published by Richard Phillips, No. 6, Bridge-Street, Blackfriars.' The artist and playwright, Prince Hoare, had been appointed honorary Secretary for Foreign Correspondence at the Royal Academy of Arts in 1799,

This information is provided by the British Museum:
The Graphic Muse

Frontispiece to Hoare's "Inquiry" (London, 1806); a draped allegorical female figure seated among clouds, holding a scroll with the word "Theory"; after Reynolds (Mannings 2168). 1806 Engraving, etching and stipple

Lettered above image with object title; lettered below with production detail, "Sr Josha Reynolds pinxt / Blake. sc."; lettered below with caption, "... To explore / What lovelier forms in Natures boundless shore / Are best to Art allied ... / Sketched from the Picture by Sir Joshua Reynolds on the ceiling of the Library of the Royal Academy."; lettered below with publication line, "Pubd. Febr,, 21, 1806, by R. Phillips. No,, 6 Bridge Street. Blackfriars".

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Following his apprenticeship as an engraver Blake was admitted to the Royal Academy as an associate. He was eligible to take classes and attend lectures provided by the Academy. At that time the president of the Royal Academy was the successful portrait painter Sir Joshua Reynolds who frequently lectured to the students on the process and purpose of Art. Years later when the lectures of Reynolds were published, Blake annotated his copy with excoriating comments on Reynolds' theory of Art.

The esteem with which the Academy held Reynolds is demonstrated by the fact that his painting The Graphic Muse adorned the ceiling of the Academy.  Surely it must have seemed to Blake the supreme irony that in 1806 he was engaged to engrave The Graphic Muse for the Frontispiece of An Inquiry Into The Requisite Cultivation And Present State Of The Arts Of Design In England by Prince Hoare. 

Here are quotes from Blake's annotations to The Works of Sir Joshua Reynolds, edited by Edmond Malone. London, 1798:

"This Man was Hired to Depress Art   This is the opinion of
Will Blake   my Proofs of this Opinion are given in the following
Notes
 
     Degrade first the Arts if you'd Mankind degrade,
     Hire Idiots to Paint with cold light & hot shade:
     Give high Price for the worst, leave the best in disgrace,
     And with Labours of Ignorance fill every place.

The Man who asserts that there is no Such Thing as Softness
in Art & that every thing in Art is Definite & Determinate has
not been told this by Practise but by Inspiration & Vision
because Vision is Determinate & Perfect & he Copies That without
Fatigue Every thing being Definite & determinate   Softness is
Produced Alone by Comparative Strength & Weakness in the Marking
out of the Forms
     I say These Principles could never be found out by the Study
of Nature without Con or Innate Science

  A Work of Genius is a Work "Not to be obtaind by the
Invocation of Memory & her Syren Daughters. but by Devout prayer
to that Eternal Spirit. who can enrich with all utterance &
knowledge & sends out his Seraphim with the hallowed fire of his
Altar to touch & purify the lips of whom he pleases." Milton
     
The following [Lecture] <Discourse> is
particularly Interesting to Blockheads. as it Endeavours to prove
That there is No such thing as Inspiration & that any Man of a
plain Understanding may by Thieving from Others. become a Mich
Angelo

 Knowledge of Ideal Beauty. is Not to be Acquired It is Born
with us Innate Ideas. are in Every Man Born with him. they are
<truly> Himself.  The Man who says that we have No Innate Ideas
must be a Fool & Knave.  Having No Con-Science or Innate
Science

The Ancients did not mean to Impose when they  affirmd 
their  belief  in Vision & Revelation Plato was in Earnest. 
Milton was in Earnest.  They believd that God did Visit Man
Really & Truly & not as Reynolds pretends  

    He who does not Know Truth at Sight is unworthy of Her
Notice

Burke's Treatise on the Sublime & Beautiful is founded on
the Opinions of Newton & Locke on this Treatise Reynolds has
grounded many of his assertions. in all his Discourses   I read
Burkes Treatise when very Young at the same time I read Locke on
Human Understanding & Bacons Advancement of Learning   on Every
one of these Books I wrote my Opinions & on looking them over
find that my Notes on Reynolds in this Book are exactly Similar. 
I felt the Same Contempt & Abhorrence then; that I do now.  They
mock Inspiration & Vision   Inspiration & Vision was then & now
is & I hope will
always Remain my Element my Eternal Dwelling place. how can I
then hear it Contemnd without returning Scorn for Scorn--"