Title Page: Songs of Experience (1991)
- Title
- Title Page: Songs of Experience (1991)
- Student Commentary:
-
In the title page for Songs of Experience, included in the combined edition of Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1991 facsimile), an elderly couple appears to have died recently. They lie side by side in a bed with their arms stretched out flat at their sides. At the foot of the bed, on either side, is a woman in a softly colored dress. Both women appear to be distressed and have their hands in front of them in grief or prayer. The words that comprise the title are surrounded by delicate pink flowers, as well as two figures with legs extended in a sort of dance pose. The picture beautifully juxtaposes joy and agony - surely two key components of ‘experience’.
The coloring and impact of this image should be compared to that of other reproductions in the library’s collections, made by different hands or from different original copies. This version of the title page, for example, reproduced from a print made late in Blake’s lifetime, has an even lighter and airier feel than the 1955 version, modeled on a different copy. All the colors are bright pastels, making the image appear peaceful at this time of mourning and agony. Not available at the William Blake Archive; consult the book in Schaffer Library for a detailed view of the image. - Links:
- About this Book
- Item sets
- Blake at Union
- Site pages
- Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1991)