Songs of Experience: A Little Boy Lost

"Songs of Experience: A Little Boy Lost" by William Blake is an iconic illuminated page from the artist’s seminal poetic and visual project, Songs of Innocence and of Experience. This specific impression, dated within the broad period of 1794 to 1825, showcases Blake’s innovative printmaking technique. The composition was achieved using relief etching, printed in a warm, characteristic orange-brown ink, and subsequently hand-colored by the artist with watercolor and touches of luminous shell gold.

As a central figure of the Romantic movement, Blake used his self-published illuminated books to integrate poetry and radical theological commentary. The poem within Songs of Experience: A Little Boy Lost explores themes of vulnerability, loss, and the potentially devastating outcomes of seeking guidance outside accepted dogma, contrasting sharply with the innocent faith often depicted in the corresponding Songs of Innocence volume. Blake’s visual composition merges the dense text with the expressive imagery, where human figures are often shown struggling within an overpowering or chaotic natural environment.

The meticulous hand-coloring transforms each impression, such as this example, into a unique work of art, distinguishing these prints from standard mechanical reproductions. This piece provides a profound insight into Blake’s enduring vision and his mastery of sequential illustration. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this important work as part of its distinguished collection of early British art. Given the age and historical significance of the original plates, many images from this series are widely considered part of the public domain, ensuring the continued study and appreciation of Blake’s genius globally.