The Fall of Rosamond (after Thomas Stothard) 1783

Curator: This circular print, "The Fall of Rosamond," after Thomas Stothard, comes to us from the visionary William Blake. Editor: Ooh, there’s a chill here, isn’t there? A group of women, and the clear suggestion of impending doom. The dark trees contribute to the drama. Curator: The subject refers to Rosamond Clifford, a mistress of King Henry II, who was allegedly poisoned by his jealous wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine. We see her offered a cup, perhaps laced with poison. Editor: Poisoned chalices recur frequently. The cup, the vessel, symbolizes the feminine principle, motherhood. To poison it is an unspeakable violation, a corruption of life itself. Curator: And note how Blake renders the figures almost floating within this circular space. Their expressions, even the postures, suggest a premonition of tragedy. Editor: Yes, there is a theatrical quality, a sense of a stage being set. The figures in the background seem to haunt the scene, specters of what is to come. Curator: Blake was always fascinated by the darker corners of the human soul. He translates a scene of supposed royal intrigue into a broader commentary on morality and mortality. Editor: It's a poignant reminder that beauty and power are so fleeting, and that jealousy can drive people to commit the most heinous acts. One feels empathy, even if the events are so very removed in time.