'Job Rebuked by his Friends', William Blake

Artwork details

Artist

William Blake (1757‑1827)

Title

Job Rebuked by his Friends

From Illustrations to 'The Book of Job'

Date 1825, reprinted 1874

MediumLine engraving on paper

Dimensionsimage: 198 x 152 mm

Collection

Tate

Acquisition Purchased with the assistance of a special grant from the National Gallery and donations from the Art Fund, Lord Duveen and others, and presented through the the Art Fund 1919

Reference

A00021

View this artwork by appointment, at Tate Britain's Prints and Drawings Rooms

Display caption

This is an illustration to chapter 12, verse 4 of the Book of Job: 'I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the Just upright man is laughed to scorn.' Job endures the mocking of his friends and the rebuke of his wife. Their attitude towards him reflects their impatience with Job's protestations of his innocence, despite the fact that God's punishment of him is an indication of his transgression. The other inscriptions in the margins are statements Job made to his God and which are found elsewhere in the Book of Job.

August 1993