Artwork Details
Artist
Creation Date
Materials
Object Types
Dimensions
8 x 6-1/8 in.
Mark Description
inscribed in pencil upper right: Milton's first Wife inscribed in pencil, center right: - Gn/velvet inscribed in pencil, lower right: - BK/Bn Eyes
Accession Number
Credit Line
Gift of the Alliance of the Indianapolis Museum of Art
Copyright
Collection
Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
Color Palette
Provenance
Donated to the Indianapolis Museum of Art in 1990
Gallery Labels
Beginning in 1819, in the middle of the night, and in the company of the painter John Varley, Blake would conjure up famous personages from Biblical, Roman or English history and draw their portraits. In this instance, he captured the features of Mary Powell, the poet John Milton's first wife, who had died in 1652 at the age of 27. Varley, who it was said, "believed in the reality of Blake's visions more than even Blake himself," would then annotate the drawing with the specifics of eye color and costume fabric as Blake described them. For Blake these "spiritual portraits" may have been works of authentic inspiration rather than actual vision. He once said: "You can see what I do if you choose. Work up imagination to the state of vision, and the thing is done."
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