First Book of Urizen pl. 15 c. 1796 - 1818

Curator: Here we have plate 15 from William Blake’s “First Book of Urizen,” currently held in the Tate Collections. The dimensions of the support are 259 by 182 millimeters. Editor: Oh, what a visceral image! It’s like a raw nerve, exposed and throbbing. The colors feel… internal. Curator: Indeed. Blake's process involved etching, printing, and hand-coloring, creating variations across editions. The emphasis on the "fibres of blood" in the inscription speaks to the physical and material processes of creation, both artistic and biological. Editor: It’s the vulnerability that strikes me. The figures almost meld together, caught in a moment of anguish, or perhaps, transformation. The blood-red mass seems both womb-like and wounded. Curator: Blake critiqued the industrial revolution and valued the handmade, imbuing his works with social commentary about labor and spiritual freedom. Editor: Absolutely. It’s a reminder that even the most abstract forms carry within them the weight of human experience and the artist's hand. A somber yet stunning visual poem. Curator: Agreed. Blake's work continues to resonate because it grounds the ethereal in the tangible.