Thenot and Colinet Eat Their Evening Meal, from Thornton's "Pastorals of Virgil"
Original title: Thenot and Colinet Eat Their Evening Meal, from Thornton's "Pastorals of Virgil"
kurzbeschreibung
William Blake contributed this wood engraving to Thornton's 'Pastorals of Virgil' in 1821. It shows Thenot and Colinet sharing their evening meal at a table. The print stays entirely in monochrome tones and, at just 3.7 x 7.6 cm, is a tiny illustrative piece.
Description
At a set table, two figures face each other: the bearded Thenot in a long-sleeved robe on the left, and Colinet on the right in simple clothing, holding a bowl. Cups and a vessel stand between them. Above, a canopy stretches overhead, with stars and a moon shining beyond. Hard lines and solid shadows shape the figures and objects, while the palette remains gray in several gradations.
Context
Robert Thornton published his edition of the 'Pastorals of Virgil' in 1821, for which Blake supplied a total of 17 wood engravings. This print belongs to that series. The fact that book illustrations of the time often measured only a few centimeters explains the format of about 3.7 x 7.6 cm.
Impact
Subdued light and graduated shading give the print a quiet, intimate mood. At the same time, the angular lines of the wood engraving create a clear, almost archaic effect that suits the rural tone of the source.
Technique
For this wood engraving, the motif was cut into a woodblock and then printed. Depending on the depth of the cuts, different gray values emerge, producing the monochrome effect. Despite the small block, fine details can still be reproduced.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)