'The Spiritual Form of Nelson Guiding Leviathan', William Blake

Artwork details

Artist

William Blake (1757‑1827)

Title

The Spiritual Form of Nelson Guiding Leviathan

Date c.1805-9

MediumTempera on canvas

Dimensionssupport: 762 x 625 mm frame: 912 x 785 x 75 mm

Collection

Tate

Acquisition Purchased 1914

Reference

N03006

On display at Tate Britain

Theme: BP Spotlights

Room: William Blake

Display caption

Blake showed this painting in his 1809 exhibition. Admiral Lord Nelson is directing Leviathan, a great biblical sea monster which Blake used as a symbol of war.

This work is cracked and damaged because Blake used a thin canvas and chalk-based ground. The ground layer has darkened due to the conservation treatment of ‘glue’ lining; this is only suitable for oil paintings. Layers of glue in some of Blake’s paints have also darkened. The orange tonality comes from remnants of a discoloured varnish. The contraction of the glue-rich layers and the movement of the thin canvas has created stress, causing cracking.

September 2004