Songs of Innocence: Spring

"Songs of Innocence: Spring" is a unique relief etching by William Blake, created during the extended period of 1789 through 1825. This highly characteristic example of Blake’s illuminated printing features an impression printed in rich orange-brown ink, subsequently finished with extensive hand-coloring. The artist utilized delicate applications of watercolor and touches of luminous shell gold to bring the pastoral scene to life, emphasizing the vibrancy of the spring setting.

As an integral part of his renowned compilation, Songs of Innocence, this piece is inseparable from Blake’s revolutionary approach to combining poetry and visual illustration. Blake pioneered the technique of relief etching, allowing him to etch both the verses and the accompanying imagery onto copper plates, thereby ensuring complete control over the production of each hand-finished print before it was issued.

The composition visually embodies the theme of seasonal renewal and pastoral innocence inherent in the poem it illustrates. Blake populated the imagery with children and women, who interact harmoniously with nature, a sentiment reflecting the core ideals of the Romantic era. The inclusion of sheep further grounds the scene in traditional pastoral metaphor. The work demonstrates the artist's commitment to creating spiritual and aesthetic unity through his illuminated books. This important print resides within the comprehensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Due to its historical context and cultural significance, the imagery derived from the original work is widely shared in the public domain, making Blake’s unique vision highly accessible.