The Lord Answering Job out of the Whirlwind
Original title: The Lord Answering Job out of the Whirlwind
kurzbeschreibung
William Blake's engraving of 1825–26 captures the moment God answers Job out of the storm. It belongs to Blake's cycle on the Book of Job, joining the biblical account to his own visual language.
Description
Job kneels with long hair and beard, his hands raised in prayer; a woman kneels at his side. Above the pair a figure in flowing robes appears, wrapped in a whirlwind and seeming to descend. The swirling backdrop heightens the drama. Along the lower edge runs a text quoting the biblical passage and giving publication details. Every part of the view is black and white and richly detailed.
Context
This print is one of a series of 21 illustrations to the Book of Job that Blake made between 1823 and 1826. His friend John Linnell commissioned them, and in 1826 the series appeared as a book. In these works Blake tied his mystical theology to the biblical source. The layout follows his characteristic pairing of the earthly and the divine sphere.
Impact
The contrast between Job's humble posture and the overwhelming apparition of God creates intense religious drama. The swirling lines give the scene an immediate, stormy energy. Restricting it to black and white turns the eye entirely to the pictorial event.
Technique
In this engraving the drawing is incised into a copper plate and then printed. Fine lines and hatching build sculptural shadows and a lively texture. The plate mark measures 21.6 x 16.8 cm; the sheet is printed on paper 41.4 x 27.6 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)