Dimensions support: 445 x 594 mm
Curator: Here we have William Blake's "The Good and Evil Angels." This piece presents a stark contrast between the figures, executed with Blake's characteristic expressive style. Editor: My immediate impression is a sense of dramatic struggle—the chiaroscuro intensifies the fraught emotional tension between the figures. Curator: Indeed. Blake's radical politics certainly informed his artistic vision, as this work subtly critiques the institutional forces that shape morality. This challenges conventional notions of good and evil. Editor: The composition, with its dynamic interplay of light and shadow, reinforces this tension. The "evil" angel’s earth-toned palette is distinct from the “good” angel’s brightness, signaling a dualism. Curator: And the chains on the "evil" figure are a potent symbol of societal constraints. Blake critiqued the oppresiveness of 18th-century institutions. Editor: That's right. Viewing Blake's work through a formal lens gives insight into the complex systems of value at play. Curator: It truly does offer a provocative glimpse into the era's values, and a timeless reflection on human morality.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/blake-the-good-and-evil-angels-n05057
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In his annotations to a text by Lavater, Blake claimed that ‘Active Evil is better than Passive Good’, rendering the figures in this picture somewhat ambiguous. Perhaps the chain attached to the ‘evil’ angel’s ankle suggests the curtailing of energy by misguided rational thought? In constructing his figures, Blake evokes conventional eighteenth century stereotypes. The heavy build and darker skin of the ‘evil’ angel suggest a non-European character, described by Lavater as ‘strong, muscular, agile; but dirty, indolent and trifling’, while the fair hair and light skin of the ‘good’ angel are consonant with ideas of physical – and intellectual – perfection. Gallery label, March 2011
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