The Book of Job: Pl. 17, I have heard thee with the hearing of the Ear but now my Eye seeth thee

The engraving, The Book of Job: Pl. 17, I have heard thee with the hearing of the Ear but now my Eye seeth thee by William Blake, created in 1825, represents a pivotal moment in the artist's final and most cohesive illustrative series. This deeply spiritual print showcases Blake's mastery of the visionary, linear style developed late in his career. The series of twenty-one etchings and engravings illustrating the biblical Book of Job is considered a high point of British Romanticism and remains one of the most significant works of art produced in the United Kingdom during the 19th century.

Plate 17 focuses on the climactic moment of the narrative, echoing Job 42:5. Having endured immense suffering and questioning, Job ceases to rely on received knowledge and achieves a direct, divine vision (Theophany). Blake structurally emphasizes this spiritual transformation, depicting Job kneeling in profound humility, sheltered yet bathed in the radiant, circular manifestation of the Almighty. The composition uses dynamic lines and symbolic symmetry to convey the overwhelming presence of the divine, contrasting sharply with the earlier plates that depicted Job's confusion and material loss. This powerful work encapsulates Blake’s central theme of moving beyond abstract faith to direct personal experience.

While executed near the end of the artist’s life, this piece reflects Blake’s lifelong engagement with religious scripture and esoteric symbolism. The work is part of the distinguished holdings of the Cleveland Museum of Art, contributing to its significant collection of European prints. Because of the historical importance and age of the original plates, high-quality images of many of these powerful prints are now widely accessible for study, often available through the public domain.