{"product_id":"night-the-first-william-blake","title":"Night the First - William Blake","description":"\u003cp\u003eA detailed engraving by William Blake from his 1797 series illustrating Edward Young's poem, Night Thoughts, featuring a reclining figure and a descending angel.\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, the project occupied Blake for two years. The composition features a central text block surrounded by Blake's characteristic visionary imagery. At the base, a figure reclines alongside a flock of sheep, while an angel descends from the upper right, creating a sense of ethereal movement. The line work is precise, reflecting the technical demands of the engraving process while maintaining the fluid, expressive quality of Blake's draughtsmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlake's approach to Young's text is not merely decorative. He interprets the poem's themes of mortality, sleep, and spiritual reflection through his own mythological lens. The figures possess the elongated, muscular anatomy typical of his work, and the spatial arrangement balances the printed word with the visual narrative. The contrast between the dark, stippled background and the lighter, more defined figures creates a dramatic atmosphere. This print provides a glimpse into the collaborative nature of 18th-century book production, where the boundaries between typography and illustration were often blurred by the artist's hand. The inclusion of the sheep adds a pastoral element, grounding the more abstract, celestial presence of the angel. As a piece of British Romantic art, it captures the period's fascination with the sublime and the internal life of the individual. The work remains a significant example of how Blake integrated his own artistic vision into the literary canon of his time, transforming a standard edition of poetry into a unique visual experience.\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\/portrait-of-grand-duchess-olga-nikolaevna-karl-bryullov\" 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;\"\u003ePortrait of Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna - Karl Bryullov — Karl Bryullov\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/figures-in-the-woods-adolphe-monticelli\" 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;\"\u003eFigures in the Woods - Adolphe Monticelli — Adolphe Monticelli\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":58363207582031,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58363213021519,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58363213054287,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58363213087055,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58363213119823,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58363213152591,"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":58363213185359,"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":58363213218127,"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":58363213250895,"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":58363213283663,"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":58363213316431,"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":58363213349199,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Night-the-First_Poster_CompositorV1_1785586816726.jpg?v=1785587919","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/night-the-first-william-blake","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}