An Armed Man Spurning a Woman [recto] c. 1790 - 1795

Editor: This is a pencil drawing by William Blake, dating back to around 1790-1795, entitled 'An Armed Man Spurning a Woman'. It feels unfinished, more like a preliminary sketch than a completed work, filled with a tension that hints at some larger narrative. What story do you think Blake is trying to tell? Curator: Ah, Blake! Always inviting us into his visionary world. This sketch, yes, feels raw, immediate. The tension you sensed vibrates off the page. I imagine Blake wrestling with themes that consumed him: innocence versus experience, the spiritual versus the material. Think about the Romantic era’s fascination with heightened emotion and the power of the individual imagination – Blake was right at the heart of it, pushing boundaries. Does the figure of the “armed man” feel heroic, or perhaps troubled, even burdened by his arms? And the spurned woman – what emotions do you read in her posture? Editor: I see a kind of rejection, a powerful turning away in the male figure, while the woman almost seems to be pleading or reaching. It does make you wonder what kind of interaction happened just before. Curator: Precisely! It is in that in-between, that space of uncertainty and potential, where Blake often resided. It's not just a literal depiction; it is, to me, an exploration of psychological states, perhaps even a commentary on power dynamics. Maybe the woman represents a vulnerability that the armed man, weighed down by his role, must reject. And tell me, isn't there something so moving about seeing Blake's process so nakedly, before he applied his more elaborate engravings or colors? Editor: Absolutely, seeing it as a sketch allows you to feel closer to Blake and to understand more about his art. I’ll be keeping an eye out for similar visual themes. Curator: As will I! And now to see where our thoughts take us next...