Job’s Despair Possibly 1825 - 1874

Editor: So, this is William Blake's "Job's Despair," and it's a small print. There's so much anguish packed into it. I'm curious, how does Blake capture that feeling of utter hopelessness for you? Curator: Hopelessness... Yes, it’s etched, quite literally, into every line. The figures are trapped, almost fossilized in grief, aren't they? Job, arms raised, seems to plead with a God that is silent. Is he seeking solace, or merely cursing the heavens, I wonder? Editor: I see the desperation in his posture. It's almost performative, but completely raw at the same time. Curator: Indeed! Blake invites us to participate, to feel that internal scream. I think that perhaps, the true genius lies in making Job’s despair so universally relatable. Editor: That makes so much sense; the etching is not just illustrating a story, but an experience.