{"product_id":"illustration-to-edward-youngs-night-thoughts-page-15-william-blake","title":"Illustration to Edward Young's Night Thoughts, Page 15 - William Blake","description":"\u003cp\u003eA visionary engraving by William Blake from his 1797 series illustrating Edward Young's poem, Night Thoughts, depicting a bound figure reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis engraving originates from William Blake's ambitious project to illustrate Edward Young's poem, Night Thoughts, commissioned by the publisher Richard Edwards in 1795. Blake produced a series of 537 watercolour drawings for the text, of which only a small portion were eventually engraved and published in 1797. The composition features a recumbent male figure, bound by thorny vines and chains, who is absorbed in reading. A diminutive female figure sits upon his leg, creating a surreal juxtaposition of scale that is characteristic of Blake's visionary approach to narrative art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe imagery reflects the melancholic and philosophical themes of Young's poetry, which explores mortality, grief, and the human condition. Blake does not merely decorate the page; he interprets the text through his own symbolic vocabulary. The thorny vines suggest the burdens of earthly existence, while the act of reading serves as a bridge between the physical world and the intellectual or spiritual realm. The engraving technique, executed by Blake himself, employs fine cross-hatching to create subtle gradations of tone, lending a soft, ethereal quality to the figures and the surrounding space. The text block is integrated into the design, allowing the visual elements to frame the printed verses. This work provides a window into the collaborative process between poet and artist during the late eighteenth century, demonstrating how Blake transformed a standard literary commission into a personal exploration of his own mythological and spiritual concerns. The print captures the tension between the weight of physical confinement and the liberation found within the pages of a book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-coronation-of-queen-victoria-john-martin\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Coronation of Queen Victoria - John Martin — John Martin\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-pontic-rhododendron-robert-john-thornton\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Pontic Rhododendron - Robert John Thornton — Robert John Thornton\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"William Blake","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58368551944527,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58368552665423,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58368552698191,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58368552730959,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58368552763727,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58368552796495,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58368552829263,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58368552862031,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58368552894799,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58368552927567,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58368552960335,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58368552993103,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Illustration-to-Edward-Young-s-Night-Thoughts-Page-15_Poster_CompositorV1_1785669302622.jpg?v=1785671682","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/illustration-to-edward-youngs-night-thoughts-page-15-william-blake","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}