Thus wept the Angel Voice, from America a Prophecy (after William Blake)
Thus wept the Angel Voice, from America a Prophecy (after William Blake)
This is a fairly free copy of plate 12 of William Blake's 1793 publication, 'America: A Prophecy', showing the nude male figure of Orc, arms outstretched, his left knee extending forward as though climbing among the flames that surround him. The plate sits above 12 lines of verse beginning 'Thus wept the Angel voice...'.
Scott made the drawing on the back of a page of a letterpress-printed catalogue of coins and medals. These include 'XII. Mary Stuart, Medal by Primavera'. Scott made a watercolour study of this medal, the original of which was made by Jacopo Primavera in the late 16th century (National Galleries of Scotland). He made many other studies of objects in the British Museum, at least some of which are held in the National Galleries of Scotland.
The British Museum holds copies of 'America: A Prophecy' and, in its preeminent collection of Tudor medals, of the Jacopo Primavera medal, and it is possible that Scott made his drawing after Blake at the same time as studying the coins and medals collection there.
William Muir, who made facsimile rints of 'Little Tom the Sailor', also made facsimiles of 'America: A Prophecy'.
Dimensions:
Pen and ink on wove (verso of a coin and medal catalogue page)
RELATED ITEMS
. He made many other studies of objects in the British Museum, at least some of which are held in the National Galleries of Scotland. The British Museum holds copies of 'America: A Prophecy' and, in its preeminent collection of Tudor medals, of the Jacopo Primavera medal, and it is possible that Scott made his drawing after Blake at the same time as studying the coins and medals collection there. William Muir, who made facsimile rints of 'Little Tom the Sailor', also made facsimiles of 'America: A Prophecy'.){kind=link}