So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than the beginning 1825

Curator: It's impossible to approach a work like this without being overwhelmed. It’s “So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than the beginning,” an engraving created by William Blake in 1825. It's currently held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: My immediate feeling is…triumph! A complex visual resolution. The characters emerge from what looks like profound shadow, yet there’s light, a sense of lightness as they’re bathed in… what is it? Divine grace, perhaps? Curator: Definitely grace. Blake, always deeply invested in the spiritual, is illustrating a scene from the Book of Job. It showcases Job's restored blessings after enduring immense suffering. Contextually, this reflects Blake's own beliefs regarding spiritual trials and redemption, and broader Romantic notions surrounding emotion and individualism. Editor: Thinking about Job, what interests me most is how this image can act as a meeting point between religious trauma and queer theory. Job is dispossessed of family, safety, social position; his body suffers greatly. His queerness—his vulnerability—pushes the boundaries of conventional identity and acceptance. Curator: That's a beautiful interpretation. Blake often challenged societal norms, both visually and conceptually. His emphasis on spiritual and emotional experiences aligns with a rejection of purely rational thought prevalent at the time. Editor: Exactly! And, for me, the lines that compose this image contribute to the sense of vulnerability. This print visualizes the beauty that can arise from those challenges, but in doing so he also honors the wounds…he honors the scar. Curator: Yes. It reminds me that sometimes blessings aren’t about erasing the past, but about what grows from it. Thank you for pushing me to reflect on these ideas; it's such a gift to really observe and to feel this piece with you. Editor: Absolutely. Engaging with artwork in this way is more than art appreciation; it's a political act of acknowledging ourselves, as humans and thinkers. What remains with me is the radical thought of experiencing blessings, not in spite of pain, but alongside it.