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Creator:
Print made by William Blake, 1757–1827
Title:
"Tho divided by the Cross & Nails & Thorns & Spear..." (Plate 89)
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: "89"

Lettered inside image: "Tho' divided by the Cross & Nails & Thorns & Spear, | In cruelties of Rahab & Tirzah permanent endure | A terrible indefinite Hermaphroditic form: | A Wine-press of Love & Wrath, double, Hermaphroditic, | Twelvefold in Allegoric pomp, in selfish holiness: | The Pharisaion, the Grammateis, the Presbuterion, | The Archiereus, the lereus, the Saddusaion, double | Each withoutside of the other, covering eastern heaven. | Thus was the Covering Cherub reveal'd, majestic image | Of Selfhood, Body put off, the Antichrist accursed, | Cover'd with precious stones, a "Human Dragon terrible | And bright, stretch'd over Europe & Asia gorgeous. | In three nights he devour'd the rejected corse of death. | His Head dark, deadly, in its Brain incloses a reflexion | Of Eden all perverted: Egypt on the Gihon, many tongued | And many mouth'd: Ethiopia, Lybia, the Sea of Rephaim. | Minute Particulars in slavery I behold among the brick-kilns | Disorganiz'd, & there is Pharoh in his iron Court: | And the Dragon of the River & the Furnaces of iron. | Outwoven from Thames & Tweed & Severn, awful streams, | Twelve ridges of Stone frown over all the Earth in tyrant pride, | Frown over each River, stupendous Works of Albion's Druid Sons | And Albion's Forests of Oaks cover'd the Earth from Pole to Pole. | His Bosom wide reflects Moab & Ammon on the River | Pison, since call'd Arnon, there is Heshbon beautiful, | The Rocks of Rabbath on the Arnon & the Fish-pools of Heshbon | Whose currents flow into the Dead Sea by Sodom & Gomorra. | Above his Head high arching Wings, black, fill'd with Eyes, | Spring upon iron sinews from the Scapulas & Os Humeri. | There Israel in bondage to his Generalizing Gods, | Molech & Chemosh, & in his left breast is Philistea | In Druid Temples over the whole Earth with Victim's Sacrifice, | From Gaza to Damascus, Tyre & Sidon & the Gods | Of Javan, thro' the Isles of Grecia & all Europe's Kings, | Where Hiddekel pursues his course among the rocks. | Two Wings spring from his ribs of brass, starry, black as night, | But translucent their blackness as the dazling of gems. | His Loins inclose Babylon on Euphrates beautiful, | And Rome in sweet Hesperia, there Israel scatter'd abroad | In martyrdoms & slavery I behold: ah vision of sorrow! | Inclosed by eyeless Wings, glowing with fire as the iron | Heated in the Smith's forge, but cold the wind of their dread Fury. | But in the midst of a devouring Stomach, Jerusalem | Hidden within the Covering Cherub as in a Tabernacle | Of threefold workmanship, in allegoric delusion & woe. | There the Seven Kings of Canaan & Five Baalim of Philistea, | Sihon & Og, the Anakim & Emim, Nephilim & Gibborim, | From Babylon to Rome: & the Wings spread from Japan, | Where the Red Sea terminates the World of Generation & Death, | To Irelands farthest rocks where Giants builded their Causeway | Into the Sea of Rephaim, but the Sea o'erwhelm'd them all. | A Double Female now appear'd within the Tabernacle, | Religion hid in War, a Dragon red & hidden Harlot, | Each within other, but without a Warlike Mighty-one, | Of dreadful power, sitting upon Horeb pondering dire | And mighty preparations, mustering multitudes innumerable | Of warlike sons among the sands of Midian & Aram. | For multitudes of those who sleep in Alia descend, | Lured by his warlike symphonies of tabret pipe & harp, | Burst the bottoms of the Graves & Funeral Arks of Beulah: | Wandering in that unknown Night beyond the silent Grave | They became One with the Antichrist & are absorb'd in him."

Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1992.8.1(89)
Classification:
Prints
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Subject Terms:
branches | literary theme | religious and mythological subject | sky | text | vines | women
Access:
Accessible in the Study Room [Request]
Link:
https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:3524
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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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