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Creator:
Print made by William Blake, 1757–1827
Title:
"Of the Mundane Shell which froze..." (Plate 64)
Part Of:

Collective Title: Jerusalem: The Emanation of The Giant Albion, Copy E

Date:
1804 to 1820
Materials & Techniques:
Relief etching printed in orange ink, with watercolor and pen and black ink on moderately thick, smooth, cream wove paper
Dimensions:
Sheet: 13 1/2 x 10 3/8 inches (34.3 x 26.4 cm), Plate: 8 x 5 3/4 inches (20.3 x 14.6 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:

Inscribed in orange ink, upper right: "64"

Lettered inside image: "Of the Mundane Shell, which froze on all sides round Canaan on | The vast Expanse: where the Daughters of Albion Weave the Web | Of Ages & Generations, folding & unfolding it, like a Veil of Cherubim: | And sometimes it touches the Earth's summits, & sometimes spreads | Abroad into the Indefinite Spectre, who is the Rational Power. | Then All the Daughters of Albion became One before Los: even Vala. | And she put forth her hand upon the Looms in dreadful howlings, | Till she vegetated into a hungry Stomach & a devouring Tongue. | Her Hand is a Court of Justice, her Feet, two Armies in Battle: | Storms & Pestilence, in her Locks: & in her Loins Earthquake | And Fire, & the Ruin of Cities & Nations & Families & Tongues. | She cries. The Human is but a Worm, & thou, O Male! Thou art | Thyself Female, a Male, a breeder of Seed, a Son & Husband: & Lo, | The Human Divine is Woman's Shadow, a Vapor in the summer's heat. | Go assume Papal dignity, thou Spectre, thou Male Harlot! Arthur, | Divide into the Kings of Europe in times remote, O Woman-born | And Woman-nourish 'd & Woman-educated & Woman-scorn'd! | Wherefore art thou living? said Los, & Man cannot live in thy presence. | Art thou Vala the Wife of Albion, O thou lovely Daughter of Luvah? | All Quarrels arise from Reasoning, the secret Murder, and | The violent Man-slaughter, these are the Spectre's double Cave: | The Sexual Death living on accusation of Sin & Judgment, | To freeze Love & Innocence into the gold & silver of the Merchant. | Without Forgiveness of Sin Love is Itself Eternal Death. | Then the Spectre drew Vala into his bosom, magnificent, terrific, | Glittering with precious stones & gold, with Garments of blood & fire. | He wept in deadly wrath of the Spectre, in self-contradicting agony, | Crimson with Wrath & green with Jealousy, dazling with Love | And Jealousy immingled, & the purple of the violet darken'd deep | Over the Plow of Nations thund'ring in the hand of Albion's Spectre. | A dark Hermaphrodite they stood frowni(ni)ng upon London's River: | And the Distaff & Spindle in the hands of Vala, with the Flax of | Human Miseries, turn'd fierce with the Lives of Men along the Valley, | As Reuben fled before the Daughters of Albion, Taxing the Nations. | Derby Peak yawn'd a horrid Chasm at the Cries of Gwendolen, & at | The stamping feet of Ragan upon the flaming Treddles of her Loom, | That drop with crimson gore with the Loves of Albion & Canaan, | Opening along the Valley of Rephaim, weaving over the Caves of Mach | pelah,"

Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1992.8.1(64)
Classification:
Prints
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Subject Terms:
beard | book | literary theme | men | nudes | reading | religious and mythological subject | sun | text | women
Access:
Accessible in the Study Room [Request]
Link:
https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:3497
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William Blake (Tate Britain, 2000-11-02 - 2001-02-04) [YCBA Objects in the Exhibition]

The Human Form Divine - William Blake from the Paul Mellon Collection (Yale Center for British Art, 1997-04-02 - 1997-07-06) [YCBA Objects in the Exhibition] [Exhibition Description]


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