Illustrations of the Book of Job, in Twenty-One Plates, Invented and Engraved by WIlliam Blake
Blake, William
London. Published by the Author & Mr. J. Linnell. 1825. Mar 1826
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William Blake's Illustrations for the Book of Job, the scarcest issue on French paper, bound in red morocco.
The first edition was issued in 3 versions: 65 copies on French paper - as for the present example - 150 copies on laid India, and 100 copies on Whatman paper; the copies on French paper and laid India paper were issued with the word 'proof' at lower right within the plate.
The engravings for the Book of Job were commissioned formally by John Linnell in an agreement of March 25, 1823. Despite a publication date of March 8, 1825 (the plates bear this date), they probably did not appear until early 1826 (the title label states 'March, 1826') and were sold sporadically by Linnell and his heirs (he died in 1882) over the course of the next century. Indeed, the family sold 68 sets of India proof copies at Christie's in 1918. Always fascinated by the Book of Job, Blake's engravings were based on a series of watercolours executed between 1805 and 1806 for his patron Thomas Butts concerning a debate between Satan and God concerning Job's piety. The plates are noteworthy as being the last complete series of engravings completed before Blake's death in 1827.
'It was produced while Blake was still working on Jerusalem, his most obscure book; yet the Illustrations are Blake's most lucid; and they are the Supreme example of his reading the Bible in its Spiritual Sense.' (S. Foster Damon, A Blake Dictionary, pg. 217).
'This [Illustrations for the Book of Job] was the last work he completed, upon the merits of which he received the highest congratulations from the following Royal Academicians: Sir Thomas Lawrence ... and many other artists of eminence.' (John Thomas Smith, Nollekens and His Times, 1828, reported in Blake Records, pg. 617).
'Are there any greater illustrations to be found? They are Blake's most ambitious, most unchallengeable, series. His inspiration was never richer, and his execution never more consistently maintained.' (Osbert Burdett, William Blake, 1926).
The arms in gilt to the front cover of the present copy are those of Harrow School with the motto 'Stet Fortuna Domus'; a bookplate to the front pastedown bears the additional legend: 'Harrow / School / Library. / Presented by / The Rev. Hilton Bothamley. / 1865'. In addition, various clippings concerning Blake and the illustration are inserted loosely, including two leaves with typewritten text recto only 'Context of quotations written in the margins of the engraved set of Illustrations to the Book of Job by William Blake'.
The full list of the plates with titles is as follows:
Title-page.
(1)Job and his Family.
(2)Satan before the Throne of God.
(3)The Destruction of Job's Sons.
(4)The Messengers tell Job of his Misfortunes.
(5)Satan going forth from the Presence of the Lord.
(6)Satan smiting Job with Boils.
(7)Job's Comforters.
(8)Job's Despair.
(9)The Vision of Eliphaz.
(10) Job rebuked by his Friends.
(11) Job's Evil Dreams.
(12) The Wrath of Elihu.
(13) The Lord answering Job out of the Whirlwind.
(14) The Creation.
(15) Behemoth and Leviathan.
(16) The Fall of Satan.
(17) The Vision of God.
(18) Job's Sacrifice.
(19) Job accepting Charity.
(20) Job and his Daughters.
(21) Job and his Wife restored to Prosperity.
[Binyon 105 - 126; Bentley 421; Ray 313].
The first edition was issued in 3 versions: 65 copies on French paper - as for the present example - 150 copies on laid India, and 100 copies on Whatman paper; the copies on French paper and laid India paper were issued with the word 'proof' at lower right within the plate.
The engravings for the Book of Job were commissioned formally by John Linnell in an agreement of March 25, 1823. Despite a publication date of March 8, 1825 (the plates bear this date), they probably did not appear until early 1826 (the title label states 'March, 1826') and were sold sporadically by Linnell and his heirs (he died in 1882) over the course of the next century. Indeed, the family sold 68 sets of India proof copies at Christie's in 1918. Always fascinated by the Book of Job, Blake's engravings were based on a series of watercolours executed between 1805 and 1806 for his patron Thomas Butts concerning a debate between Satan and God concerning Job's piety. The plates are noteworthy as being the last complete series of engravings completed before Blake's death in 1827.
'It was produced while Blake was still working on Jerusalem, his most obscure book; yet the Illustrations are Blake's most lucid; and they are the Supreme example of his reading the Bible in its Spiritual Sense.' (S. Foster Damon, A Blake Dictionary, pg. 217).
'This [Illustrations for the Book of Job] was the last work he completed, upon the merits of which he received the highest congratulations from the following Royal Academicians: Sir Thomas Lawrence ... and many other artists of eminence.' (John Thomas Smith, Nollekens and His Times, 1828, reported in Blake Records, pg. 617).
'Are there any greater illustrations to be found? They are Blake's most ambitious, most unchallengeable, series. His inspiration was never richer, and his execution never more consistently maintained.' (Osbert Burdett, William Blake, 1926).
The arms in gilt to the front cover of the present copy are those of Harrow School with the motto 'Stet Fortuna Domus'; a bookplate to the front pastedown bears the additional legend: 'Harrow / School / Library. / Presented by / The Rev. Hilton Bothamley. / 1865'. In addition, various clippings concerning Blake and the illustration are inserted loosely, including two leaves with typewritten text recto only 'Context of quotations written in the margins of the engraved set of Illustrations to the Book of Job by William Blake'.
The full list of the plates with titles is as follows:
Title-page.
(1)Job and his Family.
(2)Satan before the Throne of God.
(3)The Destruction of Job's Sons.
(4)The Messengers tell Job of his Misfortunes.
(5)Satan going forth from the Presence of the Lord.
(6)Satan smiting Job with Boils.
(7)Job's Comforters.
(8)Job's Despair.
(9)The Vision of Eliphaz.
(10) Job rebuked by his Friends.
(11) Job's Evil Dreams.
(12) The Wrath of Elihu.
(13) The Lord answering Job out of the Whirlwind.
(14) The Creation.
(15) Behemoth and Leviathan.
(16) The Fall of Satan.
(17) The Vision of God.
(18) Job's Sacrifice.
(19) Job accepting Charity.
(20) Job and his Daughters.
(21) Job and his Wife restored to Prosperity.
[Binyon 105 - 126; Bentley 421; Ray 313].
[22 leaves]. Folio. (428 x 298 mm). Engraved title and 21 engravings by William Blake on unwatermarked French paper with the word 'proof', each mounted on tabs and with guardleaf; sheet size: 414 x 274 mm. Full scarlet pebble grain morocco, boards with triple rules in blind to surround central armorial vignette (see below) to front cover, banded spine with gilt title and tooling in six compartments, marbled endpapers.
#46607
