Pl. 5 – La prairie aux échos
1789
William Blake created this charming scene for his 1789 collection Songs of Innocence, a book he wrote, illustrated, and printed himself using a unique method he called 'illuminated printing.' The image shows a joyful community gathering under a massive oak tree—children playing games like ball and hoop, while elders sit and watch, embodying the poem's theme of the cycle of life. Blake hand-colored each copy with watercolors, meaning no two versions look exactly alike, making every single print a unique masterpiece. The playful vines and whimsical lettering frame the poem 'The Ecchoing Green,' celebrating the simple, uncorrupted happiness of childhood and nature before the world gets complicated.
- Technique
- watercolor and ink
- Material
- paper
Views: 6