The Complaint of the Giant Nimrod (from Dante's "Divine Comedy"); verso: slight black chalk sketch for recto 1824 - 1827

Curator: This is William Blake's "The Complaint of the Giant Nimrod" from Dante's "Divine Comedy", currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s raw, isn't it? Feels like a nightmare sketched in charcoal. The unfinished quality adds to the sense of turmoil, like a half-remembered myth struggling to surface. Curator: Blake’s Nimrod embodies a kind of primal rebellion against divine order. Note the broken horn, a symbol of failed ambition and communication, rendered mute. The image itself becomes a lament. Editor: Exactly! That horn feels less like an instrument and more like a broken promise. All that frustrated potential, frozen in this sketch. It's really quite haunting. Curator: Indeed. And the surrounding architecture hints at the Tower of Babel, a monument to humanity's hubris. A lasting warning. Editor: Definitely makes you think about the weight of those ancient stories still pressing down on us. Curator: Blake’s image captures the eternal struggle with power. A really striking work. Editor: Leaves you with a lot to ponder, that’s for sure.