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Creator:
Print made by William Blake, 1757–1827
Title:
The Divine Image (Plate 24)
Additional Title(s):
Verso: Holy Thursday (Plate 25)
Part Of:

Collective Title: Songs of Innocence and of Experience, Copy F

Date:
1789
Materials & Techniques:
Relief etching printed in green ink, with hand coloring in watercolor on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper
Dimensions:
Sheet: 7 1/4 x 4 3/4 inches (18.4 x 12.1 cm), Plate: 4 3/8 x 2 3/4 inches (11.1 x 7 cm), Plate: 4 1/2 x 3 1/8 inches (11.4 x 7.9 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:

Inscribed in graphite, upper center: "14"

Lettered inside image: "The Divine Image. | To Mercy Pity Peace and Love. | All pray in their distress: | And to these virtues of delight | Return their thankfulness. | For Mercy Pity Peace and Love. | Is God our father dear; | And Mercy Pity Peace and Love. | Is Man his child and care. | For Mercy has a human heart | Pity, a human face: | And Love, the human form divine. | And Peace, the human dress. | Then every man of every clime, | That prays in his distress, | Prays to the human form divine | Love Mercy Pity Peace. | And all must love the human form. | In heathen, turk or jew. | Where Mercy, Love & Pity dwell, | There God is dwelling too."; Lettered on verso, inside image: "HOLY THURSDAY | Twas on a Holy Thursday their innocent faces clean | The children walking two & two in red & blue & green | Grey headed beadles walkd before with wands as white as (snow | Till into the high dome of Pauls they like Thames waters flow | O what a multitude they seemd these flowers of London town | Seated in companies they sit with radiance all their own | The hum of [umltitudes] was there but multitudes of lambs | Thousands of little boys & girls raising their innocent hands | Now like a mighty wind they raise to heaven the voice of song | Or like harmonious thunderings the seats of heaven among | Beneath them sit the aged men wise guardians of the poor | Then cherish pity lest you drive an angel from your door"

Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1978.43.1559
Classification:
Prints
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Subject Terms:
branches | children | flowers (plants) | historical subject | leaf | men | pairs | plant | procession | text | trees | vegetation | vine | vines | walking | women
Access:
Accessible by appointment in the Study Room [Request]
Note: The Study Room is open by appointment. Please visit the Study Room page on our website for more details.
Link:
https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:2501
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William Blake (Tate Britain, 2000-11-02 - 2001-02-04) [YCBA Objects in the Exhibition]

William Blake - His Art & Times (Art Gallery of Ontario, 1982-12-03 - 1983-02-06) [YCBA Objects in the Exhibition]

William Blake - His Art & Times (Yale Center for British Art, 1982-09-15 - 1982-11-14) [YCBA Objects in the Exhibition]


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