Dimensions: image: 305 x 336 mm support: 442 x 432 mm
Copyright: NaN
Curator: Here we have William Blake's "The River of Life," held at the Tate. Notice its ethereal wash of color. Editor: Yes, there’s something dreamlike about it. The figures seem to float, almost suspended in time. The colour palette is faded, it's like a memory. Curator: Blake, born in 1757, often explored themes of spirituality and human existence. I see the river as a symbol of life's journey. The figures seem to be moving through different stages. Editor: The figures, emerging and submerging, remind me of baptismal imagery—rebirth and renewal. The bodies diving through the sun's light, is it a representation of enlightenment? Curator: It’s crucial to consider Blake's radical social views, even as we interpret the artwork's symbols. His philosophy of liberation, especially regarding the body and spirit, is very modern. Editor: Right, the gender ambiguity is compelling. He is exploring the fluidity of being and representation. Blake's figures do feel beyond the social constrictions of his era. Curator: A beautiful blend of symbolism and social commentary, I'd say. Editor: Absolutely, Blake’s imagery here offers us a glimpse into his unique vision of life and the human spirit.
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This work illustrates lines from the Book of Revelation. The River of Life flows from the throne of God to the Tree of Life. It is also a rare example of how Blake presented his watercolours: he drew the washline border between ruled ink lines. The yellow tone of the paper is the result of over-exposure to light. This caused some of the original blue paint (indigo perhaps) to fade; the fuzzy band of Prussian blue on the lower edge, and spots of the same colour in the river, were added later by someone trying to ‘correct’ this fading. Gallery label, September 2004
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