Songs of Experience: The Little Girl Lost

William Blake’s Songs of Experience: The Little Girl Lost is a poignant example of the artist’s illuminated printing method, fundamental to his revolutionary approach to combining text and image. Created between 1789 and 1825, this work is a relief etching printed in orange-brown ink, subsequently finished with exquisite hand-coloring, utilizing watercolor and shell gold to enhance its mystical quality. Blake executed this print as part of his magnum opus, Songs of Innocence and of Experience, a pairing of collections intended to explore the "two contrary states of the human soul."

The visual narrative directly illustrates the accompanying poetry, which recounts the tale of the parents’ desperate search for their child, Lyca, who becomes lost in the wilderness. Blake’s design features a depiction of the searching Couples—a Man and a Woman—whose distressed figures emphasize human vulnerability. In contrast to their earthly plight, the spiritual elements are highlighted through the depiction of nature, often including Birds or other fauna that witness Lyca’s journey and provide an allegorical layer of protection. This dual focus examines themes central to Blake's overall body of work: spiritual refuge, the dangers of experience, and the eternal conflict between the material and the sublime.

As an original hand-finished print, the technical precision and individualized coloring of the piece are paramount. Blake’s highly personal and labor-intensive method of production ensured that each impression, like this one residing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, is unique. The enduring power of Blake's poetic visions ensures their ongoing relevance, and while the originals are highly guarded, high-quality prints and reproductions of this foundational work of Romantic literature and art are frequently shared through public domain initiatives today.