The Belvedere Torso [verso] c. 1779 - 1780

William Blake sketched this study of the Belvedere Torso in pencil. This fragment of a male nude, revered since antiquity, embodies the idealized human form and the heroic spirit of classical sculpture. Note the foot: a recurring symbol of grounding, purpose, and direction. Across cultures, feet carry both literal and metaphorical weight. They appear in ancient Egyptian art as symbols of journeys into the afterlife, and in religious iconography, marking sacred ground. Recall the ritual of foot-washing in Christianity, symbolizing humility and service. Blake, through his art, tapped into our collective memory, drawing from a well of shared human experiences. The image of the foot in his sketch invites us to ponder our path, our connections to the earth, and the steps we take in our own journeys. These symbols do not merely fade away, but resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.