Detail View: Rylands Collection: When the Morning Stars Sang Together
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Image Number:
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JRL1215645
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Reference Number:
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R44332
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Link to Catalogue:
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Image Title:
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When the Morning Stars Sang Together
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Parent Work Title:
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Illustrations of the Book of Job
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Creator:
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Blake, William, 1757-1827
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Creator Role:
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Illustrator
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Date Created:
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1825
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Publication Details:
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London: Published by William Blake
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Page/Sheet:
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Plate 14
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Image Sequence Number:
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014
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Description:
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Single line engraving in black ink. In this scene of processional vitality the material world again surrenders itself to a series of transcendental spiritual layers. At the bottom is found Job and his companions occupying a rudimentary cave-world, squatting in darkness and surrounded by a cloudy atmosphere of unenlightened existence. The group can only sit and contemplate the fantastic scene that takes place above. God is the orchestrator; he rests lightly on the boundary of Job's world with his arms outstretched as if in a prophecy of crucified Christ. To his right and left are gods of the Sun and Moon an ambivalent motif that has recurred consistently throughout the story of Job. The third and highest tier of this vision consists of a row of singing angels, seemingly supported by the shoulders of God. The way in which the angels appear cut off at the edges suggests the infinite number of them spanning the boundless universe of shimmering stars. The border images are not pictorially comparable; instead Blake has chosen to show a series of talismanic orbs containing scenes of the six days of creation. Though not visually similar it might be that Blake is suggesting that this is the scene from which earthly creation spawned.
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Language Code:
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eng-GB
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Subject:
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Bible. Old Testament
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Category of Material:
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Printed
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Sub-Category:
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Illustrated works
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Technique Used:
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Engraving (printing process)
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Medium:
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Ink
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Support:
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Paper
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Item Height:
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202 mm
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Item Width:
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160 mm
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Current Repository:
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The University of Manchester Library, U.K.
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Rights Holder - Image:
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The University of Manchester Library
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Rights holder - Work:
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The University of Manchester Library
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Bibliographic Citation:
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Blake, William, 'Illustrations of the Book of Job' (London: published by William Blake, 1825)
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Notes:
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21 leaves of plates. The plate descriptions have been supplied by Simon Spier.
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Date Captured (yyyy-mm-dd):
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2012-03-20
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Multi Page Number:
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115
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Image Creation Technique:
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Digital capture by The University of Manchester Library
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Date Image Added (yyyy-mm):
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2012-07
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Metadata Language:
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eng-GB
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Collection Code:
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Rylands
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