‘A Rolling Stone is ever Bare of Moss’ Possibly 1821 - 1977

Curator: This small print, ‘A Rolling Stone is ever Bare of Moss’, is by William Blake, who was born in 1757. Look at the muscular figure straining to move that heavy roller. Editor: It's visually striking how Blake contrasts the figure's dynamic energy with the rigid geometry of the building behind him, and the static, looming tree. Curator: Absolutely. Blake often used these stark contrasts to explore themes of freedom versus confinement. The rolling stone, constantly in motion, avoids the stagnation implied by moss—or, perhaps, the social structures of his time. Editor: And the medium itself—wood engraving—lends a graphic intensity to this tension. The sharp lines and areas of dense black accentuate the figure's struggle against his environment. Curator: It makes you wonder, doesn't it? Is he escaping, or is he trapped in a Sisyphean task? Editor: Indeed. A question that resonates across time, and is powerfully rendered in a space no bigger than your hand.