Beschreibung:

BLAKE, William. Sefer Iyov [Hebrew]. Illustrations of The Book of Job. Invented & Engraved by William Blake 1825. London: Published as the Act directs March 8: 1825. by William Blake N o 3 Fountain Court Strand. ( Binding Label : Published by the Author ... and Mr. J. Linnell, 6, Cirencester Place, Fitzroy Square [ address deleted and substituted in manuscript : Dorchester Terrace. Bayswater]), March, 1826. 411 x 285mm. (16 x 11 in.). Engraved title and 21 plates, plate sizes vary between 206 x 105mm. and 215 x 170mm., final states, fine, clear and uniform impressions, on wove paper, with watermark 'J. Whatman Turkey Mill 1825'. Printed on rectos only of large quarter sheets, each leaf mounted at inner edge to a blank sheet of wove paper, which also serves to absorb offset of the following plate, a pencilled cross in the lower corner of each leaf, uncut, outer and lower deckle edges. Original cloth-backed buff boards, letterpress paper label on upper cover [printed by Tickman], (some wear to head and foot of spine, small corner missing from label, binding a liitle dust-soiled). PROVENANCE: Sold to George Richmond (1809-1896), the portrait painter and admirer of Blake, by John Linnell on 19 Sept. 1832 (Richmond's signature and date inside upper cover). According to Linnell's accounts, Richmond took the copy 'to be paid in 6 months'. He actually paid (2. 10s on 19 Feb. 1834 (see Linnell's accounts in Blake Records , pp. 597 and 602). The 'proof' copy from the Richmond Collection, sold by Sotheby's in March 1956, was presumably purchased from another source at a later date. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rinder. Purchased for 50 guineas in 1926. (n.b. Hans thinks this is incorrect, check at proof). By descent to the present owner. In 1820 Blake completed a set of twenty-one watercolours to illustrate Job for Thomas Butts this set is now in the Pierpoint Morgan Library. A second set was ordered by Linnell in 1821, who commissioned Blake to engrave the work in 1823. The book was completed and officially published on 8 March 1825, although the plates were not approved until early in 1826. The contract between Linnell and Blake had been drawn up on 25 March 1823, specifying that Linnell was to pay (100 for the Set, part before and the remainder 'when the plates are finished'. Blake was also to receive (100 out of the profits 'as the receipts will admit of it' ( Blake Records , p. 277). The total payments are recorded in Linnell's Job accounts, as (150. 9s. 3d on account and (4. 11s. 7d for the Plates by April 1826 ( Blake Records , pp. 598-605). The copies were to be sold by Linnell, who in 1829 abandoned his studio in Cirencester Square for a new house, which he had built himself, in Porchester Terrace, Bayswater. (Hence the correction of the address on the label.) According to Linnell's accounts, 150 'Proof' Sets on India paper (watermarked 'J Whatman Turkey Mill 1825) and 65 on 'French' paper (watermarked 'J Whatman 1825') were printed by Lahee in March 1826. Then the word 'Proof' was removed from the plates and 100 sets were printed on 'drawing paper'. The plates in the Richmond copy, printed straight on the J Whatman Turkey Mill 1825 paper without India appliqué, still faintly shows the word 'Proof' that was scratched out. The price was left blank on the label to be inserted by hand, but was originally 'Proofs (6. 6s' and 'Prints (3. 3s'. The work can not have sold very well, as the price for plain copies declined to (2. 12s. 6d, on 30 April 1832 to (2. 10s, and to (1. 10s from November 1834 ( Blake Records , p. 597, n. 3). The cost of printing was (124. 12s 1d and after Blake's death Linnell characteristically continued to pay Mrs. Blake for each copy sold. A posthumous edition of 100 copies was printed from the plates in 1874. The plates are now in the British Museum. Illustrations from the Book of Job was Blake's last completed prophetic book. The text, a series of important biblical quotations, is above and below each image. "It