"He meets his Saviour in the Grave..." (Plate 20)

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Print made by William Blake, 1757–1827, British, "He meets his Saviour in the Grave..." (Plate 20), 1826

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Creator:

Print made by William Blake, 1757–1827

Title:

"He meets his Saviour in the Grave..." (Plate 20)

Part Of:

Collective Title: For the Sexes: The Gates of Paradise, Copy G

Date:

1826

Materials & Techniques:

Etching and engraving on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper

Dimensions:

Spine: 13 3/4 inches (34.9 cm), Sheet: 13 3/8 x 9 3/8 inches (34 x 23.8 cm), Plate: 4 1/8 x 2 3/4 inches (10.5 x 7 cm)

Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:

Inscribed in graphite upper center: "The first half of these supplementary | verses is wanting. They are supplied | under the figures to which they belong. | -- which see. /S./"; inscribed on back in graphite lower right: "3"

Lettered: "He meets his Saviour in the Grave Some find a Female Garment there And some a Male, woven with care Lest the Sexual Garments sweet Should grow a devouring Winding sheet 7 One Dies! Alas! the Living & Dead One is slain & One is fled 8 In Vain-glory hatcht & nurst By double Spectres Self Accurst My Son! my Son! thou treatest me But as I have instructed thee 9 On the shadows of the Moon Climbing thro Nights highest noon 10 In Times Ocean falling drownd In Aged Ignorance profound 11 Holy & cold I clipd the Wings Of all Sublunary Things 12 And in depths of my Dungeons Closed the Father & the Sons 13 But when once I did descry The Immortal Man that cannot Die 14 Thro evening shades I haste away To close the Labours of my Day 15 The Door of Death I open found And the Worm Weaving in the Ground 16 Thou'rt my Mother from the Womb Wife, Sister, Daughter to the Tomb Weaving to Dreams the Sexual strife And weeping over the Web of Life"

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