Graphite on paper. verso: graphite on paper
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<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>
Composition Fall Rebel Angels Standing Figure with Flaming Hair
Presented by Mrs John Richmond 1922
actions: expressive
actions: postures and motions
adults
angel
arm / arms raised
attacking
crouching
figure
people
recoiling
religion and belief
universal religious imagery
paper unique graphite
Composition Sketch for ‘The Fall of the Rebel Angels’? Verso: Standing Figure with Flaming Hair
support: 502 × 425 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-composition-sketch-for-the-fall-of-the-rebel-angels-verso-standing-figure-with-a00049" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>A00049</span></a> <b>Composition Sketch for ‘The Fall of the Rebel Angels’(?)</b> <i>c.</i>1805–10 (recto)
<br/><b>Standing Figure with Flaming Hair</b> <i>c</i>. 1805–10(?) (verso)
<br/></p>
<p>A 00049 / B 588
<br/>Pencil approx. 375×290 (14 3/4×11 1/2) on paper 502×425 (19 3/4×16 3/4)
<br/>Inscribed on verso by Frederick Tatham ‘William Blake Frederick Tatham’ b.r.
<br/>Presented by Mrs John Richmond 1922
<br/>PROVENANCE
<br/>Mrs Blake; Frederick Tatham; his brother-in-law George Richmond, sold Christie'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
<br/>LITERATURE
<br/>Butlin 1981, p.447 no.588, pls.823 and 824
<br/></p>
<p>As in the case of <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/blake-composition-sketch-verso-standing-figure-holding-a-spear-a00048" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>A00048</span></a>, 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>drawings</span></a> on both <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/r/recto-verso" title="Glossary definition for 'Recto / Verso'"><span>recto</span></a> and verso are similar in style to those on <span>N00043</span> and <a class="acno-pop" data-gtm-destination="page--artwork" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/blake-sketch-for-the-four-and-twenty-elders-casting-their-crowns-before-the-divine-throne-a00033" title="View the details of this artwork"><span>A00033</span></a> but the only known works related to the apparent subject on the recto are the two versions of ‘The Rout of the Rebel Angels’ in the 1807 and 1808 series of illustrations to <i>Paradise Lost</i> (Huntington Library and Boston Museum, Butlin 1981, nos.529 7 and 536 7, colour pls.638 and 651); the compositions are fairly dissimilar however.
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<br/>The dating of the figure on the verso is difficult to establish as is the case with all the drawings of this type. The stiffness of the figure suggests that it could have been executed some time before the drawing on the recto.
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<br/>This work was formerly inventoried by the Tate Gallery as no.3694 xxii.</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
actions: expressive actions: postures and motions adults angel arm / arms raised attacking crouching figure people recoiling religion and belief universal religious imagery