COLLECTION NAME:
Rylands Collection
Record
Image Number:
JRL1215642
Reference Number:
R44332
Link to Catalogue:
Image Title:
Job's Evil Dreams
Parent Work Title:
Illustrations of the Book of Job
Creator:
Blake, William, 1757-1827
Creator Role:
Illustrator
Date Created:
1825
Publication Details:
London: Published by William Blake
Page/Sheet:
Plate 11
Image Sequence Number:
011
Description:
Single line engraving in black ink. This busy composition of strong horizontals displays Job pressed unwillingly to his bed between a malevolent God-figure Satan as the serpent bearing Angel of Light and a fiery abyss beneath. Arms belonging to Satan's ministers reach out of the sea of flames and torment Job by trapping him in a grotesque embrace and preparing to chain him down within his terrible imagination indefinitely. Satan takes the image of Job as God has done hitherto this scene, but in this instance the mirror-image is an alarming distortion portraying Job as a deranged and harassed anthropomorphic being, from whom Job himself recoils with a grimace. The unified expression of this plate is one of instability and fragmentation. The angular forms that interlock to create the setting of Job's nightmare vision constantly shift and never settle, and the border design which encapsulates the entire scene is a fragile network of wavering lines that only project the ephemeral and quivering intensity of this illustration.
Language Code:
eng-GB
Subject:
Bible. Old Testament
Category of Material:
Printed
Sub-Category:
Illustrated works
Technique Used:
Engraving (printing process)
Medium:
Ink
Support:
Paper
Item Height:
208 mm
Item Width:
163 mm
Current Repository:
The University of Manchester Library, U.K.
Rights Holder - Image:
The University of Manchester Library
Rights holder - Work:
The University of Manchester Library
Bibliographic Citation:
Blake, William, 'Illustrations of the Book of Job' (London: published by William Blake, 1825)
Notes:
21 leaves of plates. The plate descriptions have been supplied by Simon Spier.
Date Captured (yyyy-mm-dd):
2012-03-20
Multi Page Number:
100
Image Creation Technique:
Digital capture by The University of Manchester Library
Date Image Added (yyyy-mm):
2012-07
Metadata Language:
eng-GB
Collection Code:
Rylands
Job's Evil Dreams
