A Crouching Figure Holding a Shield [verso] c. 1793

Curator: William Blake's pencil sketch, "A Crouching Figure Holding a Shield," dates to around 1793. The figure appears to be caught in a moment of tense anticipation. What strikes you first about this work? Editor: Immediately, it's the fragility that captivates me. Look at these delicate pencil lines, barely there, on this aged paper. You sense the raw creative energy, the sheer process of Blake's hand exploring form and movement. It's a dance between intention and material constraint, wouldn’t you agree? Curator: Yes, there's a tangible vulnerability, a certain rawness to the execution. I find myself drawn to the implied narratives in this symbolism of a shield held overhead. Is this about protection? About looming threat? I wonder, is this figure warding off external danger, or battling inner demons? Editor: Or both! The Romantic period often engaged with social turbulence, class divisions. Given Blake's political radicalism and investment in ordinary workers, one might imagine a commentary on labour or social unrest too. Curator: That is so very compelling. The shield becomes then a form of self-preservation, resistance perhaps. Notice too, the contrast between the ethereal quality of the lines and the solid mass they suggest. What an embodiment of human strength, and fragility combined. Editor: Absolutely. This isn't about idealized heroes, this feels much more grounded, even in its unfinished state. Here is an exploration of work as embodied experience. And perhaps a glimpse of a different type of worker within this mythology. It encourages me to consider Blake as craftsman. Curator: I appreciate your close reading. Looking closely at Blake’s graphic decisions really illuminates this artwork. Thanks for taking the time to view it with me! Editor: My pleasure. It’s pieces like these, raw with intention and feeling, that keeps art endlessly exciting.