Songs of Innocence: The Little Black Boy (second plate) 1789 - 1825

William Blake made this print, "The Little Black Boy," using illuminated etching. This was his own unique method, involving writing text and drawing images directly onto a copper plate with an acid-resistant substance, before immersing the plate in acid to erode the uncovered areas. The resulting relief image could then be printed. Blake's technique allowed him to combine text and image in a fluid, almost organic way, seen here in the tendrils of vegetation that frame the poem. Look closely at the image, and you’ll see that Blake then hand-colored each print. The texture of watercolor wash gives a soft, dreamlike quality. Blake was deeply invested in the making process, seeing it as integral to the work's meaning. He challenged the growing industrialization of printmaking, advocating for a more personal, hands-on approach. For Blake, art was not just about the final product, but also about the labor and creativity invested in its creation.