Artwork
Restrike from fragment of cancelled plate for "A Prophecy"
Restrike from fragment of cancelled plate for "A Prophecy" is an ink print by the Romanticist artist William Blake. It dates from 1793 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
This 1793 print is a restrike from a cancelled plate for William Blake's work "A Prophecy", executed as a relief etching on a colored background using an innovative printing technique.
Subject & Meaning
Part of Blake's later "prophetic" series, the print features dense symbolism and imaginative scope characteristic of this body of work, though its specific interpretation is obscured by the experimental execution and faded text.
Technique & Style
Blake achieved the colored background by rolling the reverse side of the plate with inks and passing it through the press, resulting in blended, textured hues (notably pale yellow, green, pink, and purple) with unintended bleeding effects.
History & Provenance
Originally created in London, the work was largely unappreciated during Blake's lifetime but is now recognized as part of his foundational contributions to Romantic-era art and literature.
Context
As an English poet, painter, and printmaker, Blake's experimental approach in this piece reflects his broader artistic and literary innovations within the Romantic movement.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter and printmaker.
- Restrike from fragment of cancelled plate for "A Prophecy"
Restrike from fragment of cancelled plate for "A Prophecy"
Restrike from fragment of cancelled plate for "A Prophecy"
Restrike from fragment of cancelled plate for "A Prophecy"
Restrike from fragment of cancelled plate for "A Prophecy"
Restrike from fragment of cancelled plate for "A Prophecy"