The Circle of the Thieves: Agnolo Brunelleschi Attacked By a Six-Footed Serpent 1827

Curator: This is William Blake's "The Circle of the Thieves: Agnolo Brunelleschi Attacked By a Six-Footed Serpent," currently residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: What strikes me immediately is the stark contrast and the incredibly unsettling composition. It feels like a nightmare unfolding before our eyes. Curator: Blake's use of line is undeniably powerful here. See how the sharp, angular strokes convey the torment of the figures, their contorted bodies mirroring their spiritual anguish. Editor: Snakes, in so many cultures, signify treachery, transformation, even primal energy. The six-footed serpent here amplifies that sense of corruption and monstrous change. Curator: Precisely. The serpent and the man seem to meld together, blurring boundaries. This speaks volumes about the poem's themes of identity and moral decay. Editor: There is a deep, disturbing power in witnessing those symbols. It's an experience that lingers. Curator: A stark reminder of the psychological depths Blake could access.