← William Blake

Colinet's Journey, Milestone Marked 'LXII Miles to London', from Thornton's "Pastorals of Virgil"

Original title: Colinet's Journey, Milestone Marked 'LXII Miles to London', from Thornton's "Pastorals of Virgil"

Artist

William Blake

Date

1821

Medium

Wood engraving; second state

Dimensions

block: 1 3/8 x 2 7/8 in. (3.5 x 7.3 cm)

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1931

kurzbeschreibung

William Blake made this wood engraving in 1821 for Thornton's 'Pastorals of Virgil'. A figure on a path looks to the left, with a milestone beside the way. The print is in its second state.

Description

A stylized figure in a long robe draped over the shoulders stands on a path. To the side rises a milestone inscribed 'LXII MILES TO LONDON'. Behind lie dark wooded hills under a gloomy sky. The arrangement is broad, with figure and stone dominating the foreground. Diffuse light from above accents shadows and the grain of the wood.

Context

For Robert John Thornton's 1821 edition of the 'Pastorals of Virgil', Blake produced a series of wood engravings as book illustrations. The subject draws on Colinet, a figure from Virgil's Eclogues, and suggests a journey or wandering.

Impact

Strong light-dark contrast and spare forms define this small, finely cut print. The somber landscape evokes a melancholic, reflective mood that suits the pastoral theme.

Technique

In wood engraving, the design is cut out of the woodblock and then printed. This is the second state of the print. The method allows fine lines and textures, used here for hills and trees.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)