Death's Door, from "The Grave," a Poem by Robert Blair

Death's Door, from "The Grave," a Poem by Robert Blair is a significant engraving created by William Blake in 1813. This powerful image belongs to a series of twelve illustrations Blake designed for a new edition of Scottish poet Robert Blair’s popular 1743 didactic poem, The Grave. The plates for this later edition were meticulously engraved by Blake himself, translating his visionary designs directly into the copper medium.

The composition centers on the moment of spiritual transition. An aged, frail man is shown entering the symbolic titular doors of the tomb, representing the physical completion of his mortal journey. These imposing, stone doors, guarded by a reclining sentinel figure, are positioned not as a final obstacle but as a passage toward eternity. As the body descends, an infant-like, winged figure emerges from the top of the grave structure, triumphant and ascending toward the light.

Blake’s works frequently use male nudes to convey the spiritual purity and fundamental essence of the soul unburdened by worldly constraint. The figure of the ascending soul in this print emphasizes the Romantic belief in resurrection and the continuity of life beyond physical death.

This intricate print showcases Blake’s mastery of line and his distinctive late style, merging intense spiritual symbolism with Neoclassical formality. Known for his revolutionary techniques in relief etching, Blake’s engravings remain crucial artifacts in the study of early 19th-century British art. This compelling work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and reproductions of these historically important prints are widely available through various public domain art collections.