William Blake

‘Europe’: Fragment of Pages 3 and 4

1794–c.1830–5

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In Tate Britain

Prints and Drawings Room

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Artist: William Blake 1757–1827
Medium: Relief etching and watercolour on paper
Dimensions: Support: 92 × 166 mm
Collection: Tate
Acquisition: Presented by Mrs John Richmond 1922
Reference: A00034

Catalogue entry

A00034 Europe: Fragment of Pages 3 and 4 1794/c. 1830–5 (recto and verso)

A 00034 /-
Relief etching, printed in grey and finished in watercolour (probably not by Blake), cut irregularly 92×166 (3 5/8×6 1/2)
Presented by Mrs John Richmond 1922
PROVENANCE
?Mrs Blake; Frederick Tatham; his brother-in-law George Richmond, sold Christic's 29 April 1897 (in 147 with 22 other items; see no.2) £2.10.0 bt Dr Richard Sisley; his daughter Mrs John Richmond
LITERATURE
Keynes Bibliography 1921, pp.139–44; Erdman Illuminated Blake 1974, pp.155–73, book repr.; Bentley Blake Books 1977, pp.141–64 no.33 (this work pp.143, 162 (as pages 6–7)); Bindman Graphic Works 1978, pp.472–3 nos.167–184, book repr.

Europe is dated 1794 on the title-page and is not included in Blake's prospectus To the Public of 10 October 1793 (Keynes Writings 1957, pp.207–8). This fragment may well have been printed posthumously (see A00035- A00039) and the colouring appears too harsh to be by Blake himself. For the full text of pp.3 and 4 see Keynes Writings 1957, pp.239–40.

This work was formerly inventoried as no.3694 iv.

Published in:
Martin Butlin, William Blake 1757-1827, Tate Gallery Collections, V, London 1990