Graphite on paper
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<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/william-blake-39" aria-label="More by William Blake" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">William Blake</a>
Two Figures in a Decorative Border
Presented by Mrs John Richmond 1922
adults
figure
people
woman
paper unique graphite
Two Figures in a Decorative Border
support: 122 × 203 mm
Presented by Mrs John Richmond 1922
<p><a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/blake-two-figures-in-a-decorative-border-a00042" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>A00042</span></a> <b>Two Figures in a Decorative Border</b> <i>c.</i>1790
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<p>A 00042 / B 220
<br/>Pencil approx. 95 × 160 (3 3/4 × 6 1/4) on paper 122 × 203 (4 13/16 × 8)
<br/>Inscribed by Frederick Tatham ‘William Blake Frederick Tatham’ b.r.
<br/>Presented by Mrs John Richmond 1922
<br/>PROVENANCE Mrs Blake; Frederick Tatham; his brother-in-law George Richmond, sold Christic's 29 April 1897 (in 147, with 22 other works; see no.2) £2.10.0 bt Dr Richard Sisely; his daughter, Mrs John Richmond
<br/>LITERATURE Butlin 1981, p.115 no.220, pl.251
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<p>The subject is difficult to make out but appears to be a girl, or perhaps a female centaur, looking down at another more sketchily drawn figure reclining in the lower left-hand corner of the scroll-like border. Although the <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/d/drawing" title="Glossary definition for 'Drawing'"><span>drawing</span></a> has been attributed to Robert Blake (see p.00) it seems to be a work by William, of, very roughly, about 1790. It is perhaps connected with one of the early illuminated books or a decorative illustration. The girl's head has some points of similarity to that in the drawing perhaps related to <i>The Book of Thel</i>, 1789, in the British Museum (Butlin 1981, no.219, pl.250).
<br/>This work was formerly inventoried as no.3694 xiii.</p>
<p>
<br/><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Martin Butlin, <i>William Blake 1757-1827</i>, Tate Gallery Collections, V, London 1990
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Catalogue entry
2004-09-22T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
adults figure people woman