George Cumberland's Card

George Cumberland's Card by William Blake is a significant example of British graphic art, executed in 1827. This unique work, classified specifically as a print, is an engraving rendered entirely in black ink, representing Blake's contributions to the printing arts late in his career. The technique utilized here is complex: the image and text were transferred onto a copper plate, a process perfected by Blake’s friend, George Cumberland, who conceived of this experimental format for personalized stationery and calling cards.

Created shortly before the artist’s death, this piece dates firmly within the 1826 to 1850 period. Blake was a central, albeit idiosyncratic, figure in the British Romantic movement. While celebrated for his illuminated books and visionary poetry, his pure engravings, like this one, demonstrate his continued technical mastery and engagement with the mechanical arts of reproduction.

The work serves primarily as a specific historical artifact related to Cumberland, a writer and associate of the engraver. Cumberland's innovative method sought to produce a novel form of personalized card that could be rapidly printed and easily distributed, capitalizing on the intimate and experimental nature of the printmaking process. The piece showcases Blake’s enduring skill in managing intricate line work and minute detail, even when applied to a functional, small-scale design.

As one of Blake's final independent works, it offers crucial insight into the graphic transition between traditional engraving practices and the innovative communication methods developing during the time. This valuable artwork is currently held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., and represents an important entry in the canon of British prints. Due to the age and classification of the piece, high-resolution reproductions of the work are often available through public domain resources, allowing scholars worldwide to study the technical nuances Blake employed in 1827.