Weeping Figure and Horse - William Blake
Archival giclée
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Description
A fine engraving by William Blake from his series illustrating Edward Young's poem, Night Thoughts, depicting a figure in grief.
This engraving originates from William Blake's ambitious project to illustrate Edward Young's poem, Night Thoughts. Commissioned by the publisher Richard Edwards, the project involved Blake creating hundreds of watercolour designs around the text of the poem, which were then partially engraved. This specific plate captures a moment of intense emotional and theological reflection, characteristic of Blake's engagement with Young's melancholic verse.
The composition features a figure in a state of profound grief, hunched over with hands covering the face. The figure is positioned against a large, circular form that suggests a celestial or cosmic presence, while a horse appears in the lower section of the frame. Blake employs fine, precise line work to define the anatomy and the flowing, ethereal forms that surround the central subject. The cross-hatched shading in the background creates a sense of depth and atmospheric tension, contrasting with the lighter, more delicate rendering of the human form.
Blake's approach to these illustrations was highly personal. He did not merely decorate the text but sought to interpret the spiritual and philosophical inquiries posed by Young. The integration of text and image on the page reflects the eighteenth-century tradition of the illuminated book, where the visual elements act as a commentary on the written word. The work demonstrates Blake's technical skill as an engraver and his ability to translate abstract theological concepts into visual narratives. The stark contrast between the dark, textured background and the illuminated central figure provides a clear focus on the human condition as presented in the poem. This print offers a glimpse into the collaborative process between poet and artist during the late eighteenth century, capturing the intersection of literature and visual art.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Weeping Figure and Horse - William Blake
Artist Biography
William Blake
He married Catherine Boucher in 1782. She was illiterate at the time and signed the marriage register with an X. He taught her to read, write, and engrave, and she became his collaborator for the next forty-five years: mixing paint, operating the printing press, hand-colouring plates, and binding the finished pages into covers.
Their working method was Blake's own invention, revealed to him (he said) in a dream by the spirit of his dead brother Robert. Relief etching reversed the standard printmaking process: instead of cutting lines into copper, Blake wrote and drew on the plate in acid-resistant varnish, then dissolved the surrounding metal with acid, leaving text and image raised. This allowed him to compose poetry and illustration simultaneously on a single plate, print them together, then hand-colour each sheet in watercolour. Every copy was therefore unique. Songs of Innocence and of Experience was produced this way. He sold fewer than thirty copies during his lifetime.
In 1803, he physically threw a soldier named John Schofield out of his garden in Felpham. He was charged with assault and with uttering treasonable expressions against the King. He was acquitted at the Chichester assizes in January 1804.
Newton, painted in 1795, shows the scientist as a young man with the body of a Greek god, bent forward at the bottom of a dark ocean, fixing his gaze on a pair of compasses, measuring and drawing on a scroll that appears to project from his own head. It is a painting about the limits of reason: beautiful, precise, and missing everything beyond the edge of the paper. The Ancient of Days, from the same period, depicts his mythological figure Urizen crouching at the edge of a void, reaching down with a compass to measure the darkness below.
He died on 12 August 1827, working on illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy. He was buried at Bunhill Fields. The wider recognition came decades later.
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