Job and His Wife Restored to Prosperity

"Job and His Wife Restored to Prosperity" is a profound engraving created by the celebrated British artist, William Blake, completed in 1825. This highly detailed print exemplifies Blake's late-career engagement with complex spiritual and literary themes, fitting squarely within the Romantic period (1801 to 1825). The piece is the final plate in Blake’s masterpiece series of twenty-one illustrations for the Book of Job, commissioned by the painter John Linnell.

Executed using the demanding technique of line engraving, the work showcases Blake's characteristic linear precision and highly distinctive visionary style. Unlike contemporary printmakers who prioritized realism, Blake used the medium to emphasize symbolic structure and spiritual intensity. The composition captures the moment of Job's ultimate redemption, depicting him and his wife surrounded by their restored prosperity and renewed divine favor. The visual structure often suggests celestial and earthly elements brought into harmony, reflecting the deep theological resolution of the Biblical narrative. Blake’s unique approach included incorporating marginal texts directly from the Bible into the design, which acts to reinforce the complexity and devotional quality of the imagery.

This landmark series of prints is widely considered Blake’s definitive artistic statement, securing his legacy as a major figure in British art history. The enduring popularity and religious significance of the series means that these influential prints and reproductions are widely studied today. As an important piece from the early nineteenth century, the original impression of the engraving Job and His Wife Restored to Prosperity is maintained in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Because of its historical value and age, many high-resolution images of this masterwork are available within the public domain for research and appreciation.