Shepherd Chases Away a Wolf, from Thornton's "Pastorals of Virgil" (1821, Met-Objekt 3884)
Original title: Shepherd Chases Away a Wolf, from Thornton's "Pastorals of Virgil"
kurzbeschreibung
William Blake contributed the wood engraving 'Hirte vertreibt einen Wolf' to Robert John Thornton's 'Pastorals of Virgil' in 1821. In a tiny format of 3.5 by 7.3 cm, a shepherd fends off a wolf's attack with his staff raised high.
Description
A shepherd in a simple, long-sleeved robe stretches his staff upward and braces himself against the wolf, which appears on the left of the print and seems to be moving away, perhaps fleeing. Trees and a fence in the distance suggest a farm or pasture. The image remains almost monochrome, as is typical of wood engraving, with dense, sharp strokes. Even light with no visible shadows suggests daylight.
Context
Blake carried out the commission for Robert John Thornton's school edition of the 'Pastorals of Virgil' in 1821, in a later phase when he took on book illustrations more often. Wood engravings were then mostly used for cheap printing, but Blake refined the technique artistically. His interpretation of the pastoral scene brings the threat of the wolf to the fore, departing from usual versions.
Impact
In a tight space, tension between shepherd and wolf arises immediately, carried by clear lines and restrained colour. Although the print is small, the layout remains very present and dramatic through precise strokes and balanced distribution of elements.
Technique
In the first state of this wood engraving, the motif was cut into the end-grain side of a block. Dense, sharp lines characterise Blake's approach and convey the material structure, allowing many details. Since the monochrome print permits no shading, the effect comes solely from line work and arrangement.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)