{"product_id":"night-the-second-william-blake","title":"Night the Second - William Blake","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn original engraving by William Blake from his 1797 series illustrating Edward Young's poem, Night Thoughts, featuring a skeletal figure and a heraldic horn-bearer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eThis engraving originates from William Blake's ambitious project to illustrate Edward Young's poem, Night Thoughts. Published in 1797, the series represents a significant collaboration between Blake and the publisher Richard Edwards. Blake produced a series of large watercolour drawings, which were then engraved to accompany the text of the poem. This specific page, titled Night the Second, displays the characteristic synthesis of text and image that defines Blake's graphic output.\n\nThe composition is divided into two distinct zones. On the left, the printed text of Young's poem occupies a rectangular block. To the right and below, Blake provides a visual commentary on the themes of mortality and spiritual awakening. A skeletal figure lies prone, draped in a shroud, representing the physical reality of death. Above this, a figure descends in a vertical orientation, holding a horn. This figure acts as a herald, suggesting the resurrection or the call to judgement described in the poem. The line work is precise and controlled, typical of the engraving techniques employed by Blake during this period. The figures are rendered with anatomical clarity, yet they possess a dreamlike quality that transcends literal representation.\n\nBlake's approach to book illustration was unconventional. He did not merely decorate the page; he integrated the imagery into the narrative flow of the poetry. The stark contrast between the white space of the paper and the dark, shaded areas of the figures creates a sense of drama. This work offers a glimpse into the late eighteenth-century fascination with the sublime and the macabre. It remains a primary example of how Blake used his technical skill to interpret complex literary themes through visual media. The print is a study in balance, where the weight of the text is countered by the verticality of the horn-bearing figure.\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-angelo-tittoni-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 Angelo Tittoni - Karl Bryullov — Karl Bryullov\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/les-pivoines-blanches-le-pho\" 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;\"\u003eLes Pivoines Blanches - Le Pho — Le Pho\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":58180526965071,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58180817092943,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58180817125711,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58180817158479,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58180817191247,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58180817224015,"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":58180817256783,"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":58180817289551,"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":58180817322319,"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":58180817355087,"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":58180817387855,"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":58180817420623,"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-Second_Poster_CompositorV1_1783389969507.jpg?v=1783630515","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/night-the-second-william-blake","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}