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Drawings

Illustration 6 to Milton's "On the Morning of Christ's Nativity": The Night of Peace

1 of 3
Type
Drawings(Opens in new tab)
Date
ca. 1814-1816
Accession number
000.19
Maker
William Blake(Opens in new tab) (British, 1757–1827)
Dimensions
6 3/16 x 4 13/16 in. (15.7 x 12.3 cm.) mount: 14 x 9 7/16 in. (35.5 x 24 cm.)
Medium
pen and watercolor
Description
Blake and Milton return us to the "Courtly Stable" (243) where we began. The coloring of the design and the closed eyes of the Holy Family indicate that this is a night scene. The "Virgin…/ Hath laid her Babe to rest" (237-38), and He is now "sleeping" (242) on a bed of straw, perhaps placed on a manger. His mother also rests on straw and leans her head toward the babe in mutual support. Joseph, with a mantle over his head, stands behind with closed eyes and rests on his arms. White and yellow light glows around the child and small halos curve above the heads of Mary and Joseph. At each side of the portal is a guardian angel, "helmed" like the Cherubim of the second design but also "sworded" like Milton's Seraphim (112-13). They "sit in order serviceable" (244) on what appears to be a cloud, or perhaps snow, curving below the stable. Just behind are the two angels introduced in the third design, with their large wings extended along the roof, but now they hold spears. Four more spears suggest the presence of additional heavenly protectors. Two angels playing harps (see 115) are symmetrically arranged in the sky above the roof line of the transverse extensions of the stable. Between them is a personification of "Heav'n's youngest-teemed Star," the star of Bethlehem, sitting in "her polisht Car" (240-241). Her resting steeds and chariot are supported by a bed of clouds. She holds a "Handmaid Lamp" (242) with rays of light forming a star-like pattern around it. In the earlier, Whitworth, version the angel in the sky on the right (rather than left) turns his head away from us. There is a diagonal cloud band in front of each angel in the sky and seventeen stars. The chariot has a spoked wheel and the figure holding the lamp turns her head to the right and smiles. The horses turn their heads toward us. Diagonal lines indicate that the transverse roof of the stable is thatched. There is only one spear on the left, held by the standing angel. The right margin of the design is trimmed, perhaps by as much as 1 cm., but the arm position of the standing angel on the right suggest that he too held a spear. The seated guardians do not curve inward toward the portal. The ground below them is decorated with a few lines indicating grass rather than a cloud or snow. The base of the stable shows prominent wood grain. Within, the babe sleeping on a "manger" (31) and his mother rests on an enormous pile of straw, her head supported by her right arm. Joseph stands behind, eyes open, and leans protectively over his family. Only Jesus has a halo, emanating spiky rays of light, but both Joseph and Mary wear mantles over their heads. Two oxen stand behind the straw on the left.
Credit
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
Department
European Art
Find out more
View in the Art Museum catalog(Opens in new tab)
The Holy Family rest within the stable, guarded by well-armed angels. Pictured as a flame held by a woman sitting in a horse-drawn chariot, the star of Bethlehem rises in the sky. Angels with harps frame the heavenly light.

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