Twenty-Seven Drawings by William Blake: Being Illustrations for Paradise Lost, Comus, and the Bible

TWENTY-SEVEN DRAWINGS
by WILLIAM BLAKE

The Promise of the Redemption

TWENTY-SEVEN DRAWINGS
by WILLIAM BLAKE

BEING ILLUSTRATIONS FOR

PARADISE LOST, COMUS
and THE BIBLE

CARL J. SMALLEY
McPHERSON
KANSAS

Copyright, 1925, by Carl J. Smalley
McPherson, Kansas

Published in November, 1925

Of this edition 1050 copies
were printed

Printed by The Western Lithograph Co.
at Wichita, Kansas
In the United States of America

FOREWORD

William Blake was born in London in 1757, and in 1827 he departed for “that undiscovered country” which all his life he had wished to see. Throughout the century which has passed since Blake’s death, much has been written about him. During the past few years a goodly number of our greatest men of letters have issued books on his life, art, and writings. Many of his writings have gone through several editions, but it was only within the past year that his complete works were issued, and that in a limited edition, which was soon off the market. While from time to time volumes of reproductions of a part of Blake’s masterly engravings and drawings have been issued, a large portion of his finest creations, including the “Paradise Lost” series, has not been accessible in reproductions.

It is a pleasure to be able to present in this volume, the “Paradise Lost” drawings, as well as the series for Milton’s “Comus”, and a group inspired by “The Bible”. All are reproduced from water color drawings in American museums.

We are indebted to the Fogg Art Museum for the privilege of reproducing “The Angel Binding the Dragon”; to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for “She Shall be Called Woman”, “The Flight into Egypt”, “The Wise and Foolish Virgins”, and “The Angel of the Revelation”. All the remaining drawings have been reproduced through the kind permission of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

C. J. S.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR PARADISE LOST

The Creation of Eve

Satan Watching Adam and Eve

Raphael Conversing with Adam and Eve

The Downfall of the Rebel Angels

The Temptation of Eve

The Expulsion from Eden

The Prophecy of the Crucifixion

Adam and Eve Sleeping

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR COMUS

“Starlight”—Comus Holds the Enchanting Cup

Comus Disguised as a Rustic Addressing the Lady in a Wood

The Brothers, as Described by Cornus, Plucking Grapes

The Attendant Spirit Habited Like a Shepherd Meets the Two Brothers in the Wood

The Magic Banquet

The Brothers Overcome Comus

Sobrina Disenchanting the Lady

The Parents Welcome Their Children

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR THE BIBLE

She Shall be Called Woman

David and Goliath

The King of Babylon in Hell

The Vision of Ezekiel

The Plague

The Flight into Egypt

The Wise and Foolish Virgins

The Woman Taken in Adultery

The Angel of the Revelation

The Angel Binding the Dragon