Job and His Daughters

Job and His Daughters is a seminal work by William Blake, executed as an engraving on fine India paper around 1825. This complex print, created during the final years of the artist’s life, forms the culmination of his renowned series illustrating the biblical Book of Job. The medium of engraving allowed Blake to achieve the precise, visionary linearity characteristic of his late period. This highly significant series, produced in the British cultural sphere between 1801 to 1825, represents a mature synthesis of Blake’s lifelong engagement with religious and mythological themes.

In the illustration of Job and His Daughters, Blake portrays the patriarch recounting his trials and his profound spiritual awakening to his three daughters, who are restored to him following his tribulations. The composition is highly symmetrical, with Job situated centrally, flanked by his family members, who listen intently to his story. His daughters are often interpreted by scholars as representing the Arts (Poetry, Music, and Painting), suggesting the restorative power of creative expression alongside divine grace that Job has received. Unlike his earlier methods of relief etching, this work utilizes traditional line engraving. Blake mastered this demanding technique to create shimmering effects of light and shadow, particularly visible in the meticulously rendered human forms and the surrounding heavenly architecture, emphasizing the spiritual clarity Job has finally attained.

The entire Job series, including this specific impression, is considered among Blake's finest achievements as an artist and printmaker. Although the original copper plates were produced for a limited edition, the enduring popularity of these illustrations has ensured their status as iconic works of the Romantic era. As an important example of nineteenth-century British prints, this piece holds significance both artistically and historically. This impression of Job and His Daughters is proudly housed in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., and due to its age and prominence, the imagery is frequently available through public domain resources, allowing widespread access to this masterpiece of religious illustration.