Job and his Daughters

"Job and his Daughters" is a masterful engraving created by William Blake between 1825 and 1826. This plate is part of Blake’s culminating achievement: a highly influential series of 21 original prints illustrating the biblical Book of Job. Created in the final years of the artist's life, the complete cycle demonstrates Blake’s profound engagement with traditional English printmaking techniques, combined with his intensely personal spiritual vision. Blake acted as both designer and engraver, meticulously working the copper plates to achieve the radiant linearity and dynamic forms characteristic of his late style.

This specific composition, plate 20 in the published series, depicts the moment of Job’s ultimate restoration. After surviving his immense trials, Job sits centrally, sharing his story and wisdom with his three daughters. The presence of the "girls" listening intently to their father symbolizes renewal and the continuation of Job's lineage. Blake’s design surrounds the central scene with detailed decorative borders, which often incorporate biblical passages and further symbolic commentary on the themes of divine law and redemption explored throughout the Job narrative.

As one of the most celebrated print cycles of the nineteenth century, the significance of this work remains high for scholars of both Romanticism and the history of prints. Original impressions of this engraving, such as this one, reside in major collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Owing to the age and stature of the artwork, reproductions of these iconic prints are now commonly circulated and available within the public domain.