'The Lord Answering Job out of the Whirlwind', William Blake

Artwork details

Artist

William Blake (1757‑1827)

Title

The Lord Answering Job out of the Whirlwind

From Illustrations to 'The Book of Job'

Date 1825, reprinted 1874

MediumLine engraving on paper

Dimensionsimage: 198 x 151 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

A00024

Not on display

Display caption

This is an illustration of the opening words of chapter 38 of the Book of Job. Blake quotes them in the main title of the print. The Lord appears and asks Job a series of questions, opening with 'Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?' The clockwise action of the Lord's appearance in the whirlwind permeates the whole of Blake's image. The trees in the bottom margin are bent low by the force of the wind, but, like Job in his adversity, they remain unbroken.

August 2004