Songs of Innocence: The Ecchoing Green
Original title: Songs of Innocence: The Ecchoing Green
kurzbeschreibung
A hand-coloured relief etching by William Blake from around 1825, made for his poem 'Songs of Innocence: The Echoing Green'. It presents a rural idyll with several figures beneath a tree, accompanied by an ornamental text panel containing the title and a stanza of the poem.
Description
Beneath a spreading tree, a group of people in traditional dress has gathered. Some make music, others stand together or remain still. Earthy tones dominate the sheet, while a strong green brings out the tree and the ground. The lower section is taken up by a blue-backed text panel with the title and a verse, its lettering in gold. The arrangement feels balanced, the tree acting as a still point, and the palette stays muted and close to nature.
Context
The 'Songs of Innocence' first appeared in 1789 and belong to Blake's illuminated books. This particular printing dates to about 1825, a period in which Blake continued to develop his techniques. Both text and image come from his own hand; the editions were small and intended for private patrons.
Impact
The restrained hand-colouring, together with the golden accents, gives the sheet something refined and almost luminous. The calm, balanced layout conveys a peaceful, idyllic mood that picks up the innocent tone of the poem.
Technique
In relief etching, the non-printing areas are etched away so that the lines remain raised. The print was pulled in orange-brown ink; colouring by hand with watercolour and shell gold followed. This interplay of printing and manual finishing is characteristic of Blake's illuminated books.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)