Dimensions support: 217 x 295 mm
Curator: Here we have William Blake's watercolor, Los and Orc, currently residing in the Tate Collections. Editor: Oh, the drama! It feels like witnessing a raw, primal scream captured in watercolor. Curator: In Blake's complex mythology, Los represents the prophetic imagination, while Orc often symbolizes rebellion and revolutionary energy. Editor: The chains on Orc’s limbs, juxtaposed with Los’s raised hands… it’s a visual poem about confinement versus defiance. Curator: Absolutely. Blake was deeply invested in socio-political issues, and his art frequently engages with themes of oppression and freedom. Editor: It makes you think, doesn’t it? How art can be both a cage and a key. Curator: Indeed. Blake's unique vision continues to provoke questions about power, creativity, and the human condition. Editor: And sometimes, it just feels good to look at something that refuses to be quiet.
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This watercolour shows two of the characters in Blake’s mythology. Los has chained his son Orc to a rock in a fit of jealousy. He regrets this too late: Orc’s limbs have become rooted in the rock. The sombre mood is conveyed by the dark colour which Blake chose to dominate the scene. He used a pure brown ochre for the entire background. Orc’s shadow is a grey wash. The light falling on the figures’ flesh is shown with paint mixed from chalk and vermilion. The yellow used in the foreground – glossy, transparent gamboge – has not faded. Gallery label, August 2004
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