Composition Sketch for ‘The Fall of the Rebel Angels’? Verso: Standing Figure with Flaming Hair c. 1805 - 1810

Curator: This is William Blake’s Composition Sketch for ‘The Fall of the Rebel Angels’? Verso: Standing Figure with Flaming Hair, held here at the Tate. Editor: It feels incredibly fragile. Those pale pencil lines barely cling to the paper. Curator: Blake used this sketch as a preliminary exploration of themes of rebellion and divine judgment. Consider the figure with flaming hair. It evokes potent images of fiery transformation. Editor: It is interesting to consider the labor involved in these preparatory sketches, the repeated attempts to realize Blake's vision using simple graphite. Curator: And the rebel angels themselves—they speak to a timeless drama of defiance and consequence, echoing throughout literature and art. Editor: Seeing these sketches helps me appreciate how artists engage in a dialogue with their materials and the historical context. Curator: Agreed. Blake’s visions reach us across time through these very lines. Editor: Yes, a reminder that even ephemeral sketches are charged with intention and history.