Thenot Remonstrates With Colinet, from Thornton's "Pastorals of Virgil"

Thenot Remonstrates With Colinet, from Thornton's "Pastorals of Virgil," by William Blake, is a crucial wood engraving created in 1821. This print formed part of the illustrations commissioned for Robert John Thornton's third edition of The Pastorals of Virgil, specifically accompanying the Eclogues. The work, executed using the demanding technique of wood engraving, is documented here as the second state, reflecting refinements or subtle changes made after the initial impressions were pulled.

Blake depicts the narrative of the two shepherds, Thenot and Colinet, male figures engaged in serious discussion within a dense, rugged landscape. The composition is intensely stylized, showcasing Blake’s highly distinctive, visionary approach to illustration, which often eschews conventional neoclassical proportions. The rough, energetic lines inherent to the medium effectively convey the rustic setting and the earnest emotions of the two men. Although the larger narrative involves themes of love and lamentation, the visual focus is on the exchange between the male figures, who are surrounded by the traditional pastoral elements, including the requisite Animals like sheep and goats, reinforcing the agricultural context.

Although initially criticized by some for their primitive, unconventional style, Blake’s illustrations for Thornton's Virgil are now regarded as among his most profound late works and precursors to modern book illustration. These small yet monumental prints exemplify the artist's ability to infuse classical source material with profound spiritual and expressive weight. The original impression of Thenot Remonstrates With Colinet currently resides in the vast collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of its age and cultural significance, the design often enters the public domain, allowing wider scholarship and distribution of Blake's intricate vision.