Who painted The Compassion of Pharoah's Daughter?

The Compassion of Pharoah's Daughter was painted by William Blake in 1805.

Where can I see The Compassion of Pharoah's Daughter?

The Compassion of Pharoah's Daughter is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is The Compassion of Pharoah's Daughter?

The Compassion of Pharoah's Daughter is associated with British Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of The Compassion of Pharoah's Daughter?

Museum-quality prints of The Compassion of Pharoah's Daughter are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Compassion of Pharoah's Daughter

William Blake , 1805

The Compassion of Pharoah's Daughter is a watercolor work on paper by the British Romanticist artist William Blake. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

The Compassion of Pharaoh’s Daughter is a watercolour on paper created by William Blake in 1805, characterized by a dreamy, misty depiction of a group of figures surrounding a kneeling woman with a baby in a basket.

Subject & Meaning

The scene illustrates a biblical narrative where Pharaoh’s daughter discovers Moses as an infant. The composition conveys a sense of gentle compassion through the interactions of the figures, with one woman offering a supportive hand and others observing with care.

Technique & Style

Blake employed light, loose brushstrokes to achieve a hazy, ethereal effect. The predominantly pale colour palette (whites, grays, soft blues) enhances the quiet, mysterious ambiance of the piece, with soft focus in the background (featuring trees and a distant mountain).

History & Provenance

Originally part of the collections of T. Butts, Captain Butts, and W. Graham Robertson, the work was sold at Christie’s auction house in 1949 (Lot 6) and subsequently documented in The Blake Collection of W. Graham Robertson (1952).

Context

This work reflects Blake’s unique blend of artistic and poetic expression, characteristic of his broader oeuvre that often explored biblical themes through innovative visual and literary means.

Legacy

As part of Blake’s watercolour output, The Compassion of Pharaoh’s Daughter contributes to the artist’s reputation for capturing nuanced emotional scenes within a distinctive, dreamlike aesthetic.