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Sculpture, Plate 1 1816 from Abraham Rees, The Cyclopedia or Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences and Literature, 39 vols, London, 1802-20, fascicule 67, October 1816 stipple engraving (NGV 46) Presented by Nicholas Draffin National Gallery of Victoria Blake's commission to engrave seven plates for Rees's encyclopedia was arranged through the neo-classical sculptor John Flaxman who contributed several articles to it. This plate illustrates Flaxman's article on sculpture. Blake's use of stipple (finely dotted) engraving here is unusual in view of the classical subject matter and because he had earlier denigrated the technique for the softness of modelling it imposed. His decision to use it may have been a calculated choice, intended to signal his disapproval of classical culture which he had come to consider inferior to the 'Living Form' of Gothic art. |