And my Servant Job shall pray for you by William Blake

And my Servant Job shall pray for you 1825

print, engraving

comic strip sketch

mechanical pen drawing

print

pen illustration

personal sketchbook

idea generation sketch

sketchwork

england

pen-ink sketch

sketchbook drawing

storyboard and sketchbook work

sketchbook art

engraving

William Blake's 1825 engraving, "And my Servant Job shall pray for you," depicts the biblical story of Job, who is tested by God's trials. In the center of the scene, Job stands with arms outstretched, symbolizing his faith and resilience. Below, three figures kneel, representing Job's friends who offer him comfort and support. The surrounding frame features angels and a radiant light, suggesting God's presence and blessing. Blake's detailed, expressive lines evoke both the suffering and ultimate triumph of Job, demonstrating his enduring faith and the power of prayer. This work is a prime example of Blake's use of engraving to create a visual commentary on biblical stories, highlighting themes of faith, suffering, and divine providence.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

⋮

The mystical ecstasy is temporary although it affects all the rest of man's life. God is transformed from his manifestation as Man into the likeness of a great sun in the heavens. Also, Job finds that in prayer the great mystical descent, typified by the angels in the margins, is mildly repeated. Rebuked by the Lord, the friends ask Job to pray for them. He consents; it is the forgiveness of sins. Thereupon the Lord accepts Job and releases him from his captivity under Satan the Accuser. His prayer is one of forgiveness, self-sacrifice (represented by his cruciform attitude), an inward act since he faces inward. The flame of his sacrifice pierces the clouds that separate the worlds and reaches to the heart of God. The wheat in the margins signifies that prayer is the Daily Bread of the soul. In the lower margin is the text for Forgiveness, in a book, along with the scrolls of Blake's poems, his palette, and his burin: the arts are also forms of prayer.