Illustration to Milton`s On the Morning of Christ`s Nativity 1809

Editor: So, this is William Blake's "Illustration to Milton's On the Morning of Christ's Nativity," created in 1809. It looks like a drawing using ink and charcoal. The scene is, well, quite dramatic! All these figures seem to be collapsing downwards, away from a small house in the top portion of the artwork. What strikes you most about it? Curator: The material conditions of this piece really underscore Blake's radical artistic vision. Think about it: engraving and illustration were his bread and butter. This work, commissioned, right? It's Blake applying his skilled hand to create these copies that disseminated through printmaking. Editor: So, the social context of making and circulating it through engraving are critical to understanding the artwork's place? Curator: Exactly. It's labor, materiality, and dissemination all wrapped into one. Look at the medium itself. Ink and charcoal, affordable, accessible. This wasn't some precious oil painting destined for a wealthy patron's collection. Blake used readily available materials for reproduction. Do you see how that choice aligns with the social themes Milton explored in the poem? Editor: I think so! Milton critiqued societal structures and inequality. Blake choosing these "humble" materials, creating prints to make the work more accessible echoes that, doesn't it? The art making process and distribution method supports that radicalism. Curator: Precisely. The very means of production challenge conventional distinctions between fine art and craft. Editor: It's interesting how the materials themselves become part of the message. I hadn't really thought about that. Thanks, this was really insightful! Curator: Indeed. Examining Blake's practice illuminates the connection between the artistic process and the critique of society, urging us to reconsider value in the artworld beyond surface appearances.