Then a Spirit Passed Before My Face (The Book of Job) 1821

Editor: This is William Blake's "Then a Spirit Passed Before My Face," inspired by the Book of Job. It feels very ethereal and layered. What visual relationships strike you as particularly significant in this work? Curator: The composition utilizes distinct registers. Note how the figures are arranged; the upper zone containing the spirit and the resting figure contrasts with the lower group’s expressions of awe and supplication. Editor: That's an interesting point about the registers. Is there a reading of the work that the composition enables? Curator: Indeed. The interplay between these zones creates a visual hierarchy, directing our gaze and suggesting a separation between the divine and the mortal. I've learned a new approach to appreciating Blake. Thank you! Editor: Me too, thank you.