Tornado–Zeus Battling Typhon
Original title: Tornado–Zeus Battling Typhon, from Erasmus Darwin's "Botanic Garden"
kurzbeschreibung
William Blake made this engraving, dated 1 August 1795, as an illustration for Erasmus Darwin's 'Botanic Garden'. It shows a winged human figure, interpreted as a tornado, caught up in a battle of storms. The plate was executed as a copper engraving.
Description
A winged figure with human features surges forward: in one hand it holds a lightning bolt, with the other it steers a whirling tornado that pours downward. Deep darkness fills the background, broken by masses of cloud that carry the dramatic mood. Greys and fine hatching give structure to the monochrome image. The layout is asymmetrical; the figure stands at the centre, while the tornado forms the dominant motif.
Context
The engraving was made in 1795 as an illustration for Erasmus Darwin's botanical didactic poem 'The Botanic Garden'. In those years Blake was deeply engaged with myth and questions of natural philosophy. The print links Darwin's scientific ideas with Blake's own mythological imagery.
Impact
Dynamic arrangement and strong hatching give the image an immediate drama. From the fusion of human form and natural force arises an atmosphere that is at once threatening and attractive.
Technique
This work is a copper engraving: the drawing is incised into a copper plate and then printed on paper. Fine lines and hatching create the gradations in grey and the detailed rendering of the scene.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)