The Book of Job: Pl. 7, And when they lifted up their eyes afar off and knew him not / they lifted up their voices and wept

The engraving, The Book of Job: Pl. 7, And when they lifted up their eyes afar off and knew him not / they lifted up their voices and wept, was created by William Blake in 1825. This seminal work is the seventh plate from Blake’s famous series of twenty-one illustrations interpreting the Old Testament narrative of Job’s suffering and eventual redemption. As a major exponent of British Romanticism, Blake utilized the challenging medium of engraving to convey complex spiritual and emotional truths with clarity and intensity.

The scene dramatically captures the moment described in Job 2:12, where the protagonist's three friends arrive at his home to offer comfort. They find Job so ravaged by affliction and grief that they initially fail to recognize him. The composition focuses on the friends' reactions, who, upon recognizing the extent of Job's ruin, tear their clothes and cast dust upon their heads in profound sorrow and lamentation. Blake often framed his central scenes with intricate border designs incorporating biblical verses and symbolic elements, reinforcing the spiritual allegory central to the entire series.

Produced late in the artist’s life, this magnificent set of prints represents the culmination of Blake's lifelong engagement with religious texts and the mythic history of the United Kingdom. The precision required for the meticulous engraving technique highlights the profound technical skill Blake possessed, solidifying these illustrations as some of the most revered prints in Western art history. This powerful representation of human suffering is preserved in the distinguished collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Because of its age, the original work is now generally considered to be in the public domain, ensuring its artistic influence continues globally.