BLAKE'S FINGERPRINT

Image in the article in the Blake Quarterly

Blake's Watercolors for the Poems of Thomas Gray   Final Image

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On the final picture of Blake's Watercolours for the Poems of Thomas Gray scholars have observed fingerprints which are not visible in the reproduction above but were photographed for an article in the Blake Quarterly.

Shades of GrayReviewed by G. E. Bentley, Jr. "3. Four fingerprints vertically across “William Blake” on Blake’s poem to Nancy Flaxman, p. [158] (5.1 x 12.7 cm.). They are clearly on top of the writing. Probably they are those of the poet. No other example of his fingerprint is known outside the Gray designs.   Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection

....

The color of the fingerprints seems to derive from animal glue. If so, they almost certainly were added in the process of gluing the printed leaves of Gray (1790) to the large leaves for Blake’s watercolors. Since the fingerprints are on top of Blake’s poem, this suggests that the printed leaves were glued to the design leaves after the watercolors were finished. It is very probable that the fingerprints belong to William Blake, but Catherine is also a possibility. They make one feel very close to the artist. Morton Paley points out to me that even more interesting than the presence of these fingerprints may be their absence elsewhere. Both painters and printers handle ink, and they frequently have inky fingers. Why aren’t there more fingerprints on Blake’s works? I guess that master engravers and painters were pretty severe with apprentices who left fingerprints."

[With Blake's Illustrations to Gray's Poems] 

Songs and Ballads, (E 482)  

"Around the Springs of Gray my wild root weaves
Traveller repose & Dream among my leaves,

                              --WILL. BLAKE"

[With Blake's Illustrations to Gray's Poems] 

Songs and Ballads, (E 482) 

"To Mrs Ann Flaxman         
A little Flower grew in a lonely Vale
Its form was lovely but its colours. pale
One standing in the Porches of the Sun
When his Meridian Glories were begun
Leapd from the steps of fire & on the grass      
Alighted where this little flower was
With hands divine he movd the gentle Sod
And took the Flower up in its native Clod
Then planting it upon a Mountains brow
'Tis your own fault if you dont flourish now     

                           WILLIAM BLAKE

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