John Linnell 1825

Curator: Here we have William Blake's portrait of John Linnell, rendered in pencil on paper around 1825. Editor: Oh, it’s… subtle. Like a whisper of a face. All delicate lines and gentle shading. He looks almost startled, doesn’t he? Like he's been caught in a private thought. Curator: The historical context is quite significant. Blake and Linnell had a complex relationship. Linnell was a patron to Blake during his later years, providing him with financial support and encouragement, while Blake mentored Linnell in turn, introducing him to spiritual concepts from the Bible. The portrayal itself mirrors some power dynamics between both. Editor: So, it’s not just a likeness, but also a… transactional snapshot? I get that, but looking at it now, I am curious to know the subject's inner world as portrayed by Blake's pencil. Like, what did Linnell confide to him? There’s a melancholy there, a softness. Curator: Indeed. Blake was deeply invested in exploring the human spirit through his art. And it is important to realize his own place inside of the Romanticism movement. Blake, using a kind of proto-symbolist lens to interrogate notions of selfhood and belief, which in turn, challenged prevailing orthodoxies of society. Editor: Ah, see, now you’re hitting the notes that resonate. This isn't just some stiff, formal portrait. It’s… well, romantic with a capital ‘R’, if you catch my drift. The way he suggests the light, and captures the kind of quiet energy about the eyes, you get the impression he had an appreciation for vulnerability of human soul. I bet you there are tons of hidden symbology there, you know. Curator: Absolutely. In many ways this work challenges the very concept of identity, proposing that even portraiture can transcend mere representation. Linnell isn't just Linnell in that picture but maybe a character onto which Blake reflected about human kind? Editor: Right! We are both reaching for meanings in a picture made with very thin lines! A work to spend time, that's for sure! Curator: It's always amazing to remember we bring a modern mind, which has changed since this image has been rendered. That difference offers an opportunity to reconsider established values. Editor: A little quiet contemplation, eh? Not a bad note to end on!