Fragment of cancelled plate for "A Prophecy" [recto]

1793

William Blake

Associated Names
William Blake

Artist, British, 1757 - 1827

This is a photograph of a copper printing plate. The plate displays reverse-engraved text with letters indented into the metal surface. The writing is in an elegant font and is surrounded by ornamental designs. A small illustration of a bird in flight is at the top left corner. The copper's patina gives the plate a brownish tone, contrasting with the polished surface and engraved lines.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    relief etched copper plate

  • Credit Line

    Rosenwald Collection

  • Dimensions

    plate: 8.1 × 5.87 cm (3 3/16 × 2 5/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1943.3.1848.a

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Bindman 1978, no. 164, State a(i)

  • Series Title

    America, A Prophecy: no.3

Associated Artworks

The image shows an engraving of a bearded man's face, likely from the chest up. The man's head is slightly tilted, with facial features such as the brow and nose depicted through etched lines. His hair is voluminous and curly, flowing outward in swirling patterns. There is no clothing detail visible. The engraving includes a crosshatched pattern in the bottom right corner and a signature, possibly "Ritter A.L." The background is a polished metal surface.

Head of Saint John the Baptist [verso]

Thomas Butts, Jr.

1728

Artwork history & notes

Exhibition History

1957

  • he Art of William Blake, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1957, no. 95.

2000

  • William Blake, Tate Britain, 2000-2001, cat. no. 112.

2001

  • William Blake, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2001, cat. no. 112.

Bibliography

1907

  • Briggs, Ada E., The Connoisseur, 19 (1907): 9b? (reproduced as by Blake).

1978

  • Bindman, David. The Complete Graphic Works of William Blake. London: Thames and Hudson, 1978.

Wikidata ID

Q63570786

You may be interested in

Loading Results