Page:Life of William Blake 2, Gilchrist.djvu/313

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LIST OF WORKS IN COLOUR.
209

17. 1794.—Design from the 'Europe' of a Man at a Forge, with a Woman and a Youth. [Linnell.]

Carefully coloured.

18. 1794.—A Young Man rescuing a Woman and Girl from a Conflagration.

Identical, or nearly so, with the tail-piece to the 'Europe.' The colour rather harsh.

19. 1795.—The Lazar House, from Milton; called also 'The House of Death,' by Blake. [Butts.] Colour-printed.

Very powerful and awful. Three of the diseased are writhing upon a mat on the ground, two others are behind. Death and Despair are also present, as in Milton. The former, a vast figure, with closed eyes, a prodigious beard like tongues of flame, and arrow-like fire darting around him, appears at the summit of the group, with outstretched arms and scroll, or, perhaps, winding-sheet. The latter is a livid-green man, with a long bolt or goad in his hand, eyeing his victims with stony scrutiny. I have seen a duplicate of this great work, paler in tint.

20. 1795.—Elohim creating Adam. [Butts.] Colour-printed.

The Creator is an amazingly grand figure, worthy of a primeval imagination or intuition. He is struggling, as it were, above Adam, who lies distended on the ground, a serpent twined around one leg. The colour has a terrible power in it; and the entire design is truly a mighty one—perhaps on the whole the greatest monument extant of Blake's genius. It looks as if he had literally seen (as he said) 'those wonderful originals called in the sacred Scriptures the Cherubim, which were sculptured and painted on walls of temples, towers, cities, palaces,' and as if this were a reproduction of some such stupendous spectacle.

21. 1795.—Lamech and his two Wives. [Butts.] Colour-printed.

Lamech looks with horrid remorse upon the young man he has slain: his wives, beautifully grouped, cling together in dismay. Extra Blakeian in character and drawing. There is a great effect of dark sky and hills, their edges dimly defined in glimmering light.

22. 1795.—The Good and Evil Angels struggling for possession of a Child. [Butts.] Colour-printed.

The Good Angel holds the Child—the Evil one, enveloped in flames, seeks to seize it; his eyes are mere sightless balls. A strong specimen of Blake's solid colour, and energetic form and action.

23. 1795.—Elijah mounted in the Fiery Chariot. Colour-printed.

Elijah lays hold of the rein with his right hand: his left is upon a book placed on his knees. He is draped—but Elisha, who stands before him, with joined hands, lost in a flood of beard, is perfectly naked, and looks as ancient as Elijah. The horses seem compact of fire; fire flows out in place of chariot-wheels; behind Elijah, a sphere of rolling red flame; for sky, a blaze of