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Creator:
Print made by William Blake, 1757–1827
Title:
The Little Girl Found (Plate 6)
Additional Title(s):
Verso: Little Girl Found (Plate 7)
Part Of:

Collective Title: Songs of Innocence, Copy G

Date:
1789
Materials & Techniques:
Relief etching printed in brown ink, with watercolor and pen and ink on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper
Dimensions:
Sheet: 7 1/2 x 5 3/8 inches (19.1 x 13.7 cm), Plate: 4 3/8 x 2 3/4 inches (11.1 x 7 cm), Plate: 4 3/8 x 2 3/4 inches (11.1 x 7 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:

Lettered inside image, upper center: "Leopards, tygers play, | Round her as she lay, | While the lion old, | Bow'd his mane of gold, | And her bosom lick, | And upon her neck, | From his eyes of flame, | Ruby tears there came; | While the lioness | Loos'd her slender dress, | And naked they convey'd | To caves the sleeping maid."; lower center: "The Little Girl Found | All the night in woe, | Lyca's parents go: | Over vallies deep | While the desarts weep. | Tired and woe-begone, | Hoarse with making moan: | Arm in arm seven days, | They trae'd the desart ways. | Seven nights they sleep. | Among shadows deep: | And dream they see their child | Starv'd in desart wild. | Pale thro' pathless ways | The fancied image strays. | Famish'd"; Lettered on verso, inside image: "Famish'd, weeping, weak | With hollow piteous shriek | Rising from unrest, | The trembling woman prest, | With feet of weary woe; | She could no further go. | In his arms he bore. | Her arm'd with sorrow sore: | Till before their way, | A couching lion lay. | Turning back was vain, | Soon his heavy mane. | Bore them to the ground; | Then he stalk'd around. | Smelling to his prey. | But their fears allay. | When he licks their hands: | And silent by them stands. | They look upon his eyes | Fill'd with deep surprise: | And wondering behold. | A spirit arm'd in gold. | On his head a crown | On his shoulders down. | Flow'd his golden hair. | Gone was all their care. | Follow me he said, | Weep not for the maid; | In my palace deep. | Lyca lies asleep. | Then they followed, | Where the vision led; | And saw their sleeping child, | Among tygers wild. | To this day they dwell | In a lonely dell | Nor fear the wolfish howl, | Nor the lions growl."

Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1992.8.12(5)
Classification:
Prints
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Subject Terms:
branches | children | girl | infants | leaf | lion | literary theme | nudes | sleeping | text | tiger | tree | vines | 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:3722
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