The Poems of Thomas Gray, Design 1, "The Pindaric Genius Receiving His Lyre"
Date:
between 1797 and 1798
Materials & Techniques:
Watercolor with pen and black ink and graphite on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper with inlaid letterpress page
Dimensions:
Sheet: 16 1/2 x 12 3/4 inches (41.9 x 32.4 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:
Inscribed in graphite center: "Drawings | by | William Blake"; on verso in gray ink upper left: "2"; in gray ink upper center: "Ode on the Spring | Design. | 1 The Pindaric Genius receiving his Lyre | 2 Gray writing his Poems | 3 The Purple Year awaking from the Roots of | Nature. & The Hours suckling their | Flowery Infants | 4 'With me the Muse shall sit & think | at ease reclind in rustic state' | 5. 'Brush'd by the hand of rough Mischance | Or chill'd by Age' | 6. Summer Flies reproaching the Poet | Around the Springs of Gray my wild root weaves | Traveller repose & Dream among my leaves. | - Will. Blake"; in graphite center: "<...> | <Brush'd by the hand of | rough mischance or Chill'd by Age | Summer Flies reproaching the Poet>"
Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1992.8.11(1)
Classification:
Drawings & Watercolors
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Subject Terms:
men | nude | book | lyre | man | writing (processes) | poem | text | harness | spring | sitting | quill pen | ode | literary theme | swan | religious and mythological subject
Currently On View:
Not on view
Exhibition History:
William Blake - The Artist (Tate Britain, 2019-09-11 - 2020-02-20)William Blake (Tate Britain, 2000-11-02 - 2001-02-04)The Human Form Divine - William Blake from the Paul Mellon Collection (Yale Center for British Art, 1997-04-02 - 1997-07-06)
Publications:
Colin Cross, Blake revealed, William Blake : Discovery of a Masterwork , Observer, vol. 12, November 21, 1971, pp. 19-23, V 1245 Detached from Observer colour magazineArnold Fawcus, Unknown Watercolours by William Blake, Illustrated London News, vol. 259, No. 6881, December 25, 1971, pp. 45-46, 49-51, Illustrated London News Historical ArchiveArnold Fawcus, William Blake's Watercolour Designs Illustrating Gray's Poems - and Mr. Paul Mellon, Connoisseur, vol. 179,no. 719, January 1972, p. 10, fig. 1, N1 C75 + (YCBA) Another copy inckuded in Vertical File Collection : V 2335