Job's Sacrifice
Original title: Job's Sacrifice
kurzbeschreibung
William Blake's engraving 'Job's Sacrifice' (1825–26) takes up the biblical story of Job's offering. It belongs to his well-known series of illustrations for the Book of Job. The print is executed as a copper engraving or etching.
Description
A central figure with arms flung wide stands against a backdrop of rays and clouds. Two figures kneel on the ground to either side, while others hover in the clouds. An ornamental border with figures and symbols frames the action. At the bottom an open book displays text; above is the inscription 'Also the Lord accepted Job', below 'And my Servant Job shall pray for you'. The style depends on strong light-dark contrasts and symbolic forms.
Context
Between 1825 and 1826 Blake made this etching as part of a series of 22 engravings for his own Job project. The artist John Linnell commissioned the series and also supported Blake financially. These illustrations rank among the major works of Blake's late period; both design and engraving are his own. The source is the biblical story of Job, which Blake interpreted in a highly individual, visionary way.
Impact
The central lighting and symmetrical arrangement of the figures give the print a solemn, elevated feel. Bright rays meet dark zones of shadow, generating a dramatic, almost otherworldly tension. The symbolic frame and the inscribed lines of text bring the religious meaning of the event into focus.
Technique
For this work the drawing was engraved into a metal plate and then printed—as an etching or copper engraving. The plate measures 21.6 × 16.8 cm, while the sheet format of 41.3 × 27.6 cm is considerably larger, suggesting a wide margin with further designs. With fine lines and areas Blake achieved his characteristic effects of light and shadow.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)