Illustrations of the Book of Job: The Linnell Collection of Trial States of the Plates

Art Historical Context

William Blake's *Illustrations of the Book Job: The Linnell of Trial States of the* (1825) represents the pinnacle of the visionary artist's late-career genius. A poet, painter, and master printmaker of the Romantic era, Blake this series of 21 copper plates (yielding 66 engravings) to interpret the biblical story of Job's trials through dramatic, symbolic imagery. Working in his innovative "illuminated printing" technique—relief etching that fused text and image—Blake produced these as one of his final major projects, published in 1826 with patron John Linnell's support. This unbound portfolio from the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection is extraordinary for its "trial states": proof impressions on diverse papers and luxurious vellum, many hand-drawn into by Blake himself. These working proofs reveal his meticulous process—corrections, burnishing, and added details like figures or shading—offering a rare window into the artist's iterative genius and spiritual intensity. Housed in the museum's CG-E department, this Linnell set underscores Blake's quest to merge divine vision with human craft, influencing later Symbolists and modern illustrators. Visitors will marvel at how these evolving states transform raw sketches into profound meditations on suffering, faith, and redemption.

About the Artist

William Blake · 1757–1827

William Blake (1757–1827) stands as one of the most visionary and unconventional artists in British history, a poet-painter-printmaker whose mystical imagination and radical vision profoundly shaped the Romantic movement. Born in London's Soho district, Blake experienced visions from childhood—claiming to see angels in trees at age eight—and these spiritual encounters would guide his art throughou...