Plate 4 of Visions of the Daughters of Albion William Blake Buy Art Prints Now
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Tom Gurney BSc (Hons) is an art history expert with over 20 years experience
Published on June 19, 2020 / Updated on October 14, 2023
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Plate 4 of Visions of the Daughters of Albion was a delightful piece from the career of British artist, William Blake. He himself is also remembered by some as a talented Poet, and left behind an influential legacy.

This artwork is a true delight, with a stunning display of figurative art which is combined by Blake’s typical use of mythology and fantasy as well as a sun scene in the far distance. A young woman is sat nearest us, whilst another flies across in a dream like formation, rising from the waves which rise from the left hand side. The dominant tone in Visions of the Daughters of Albion is a dark blue which covers most of the sea, other than some touches of white upon the breaking waves. The sun starts to disappear below the horizon, with further additions of red to bring a warmth to that part of the artwork. Blake was a highly skilled draughtsman, but it was the additions of colourful watercolours that would really lift these designs into something quite majestic.

The plate is listed as being an relief etching, ink and watercolour on paper, just as with the remaining items within this series. This was one of a number of William Blake artworks that were purchased together in 1919 using a combination of public and charitable funds. It was only later that they would be assigned to their present locations. The Tate continues to promote British art particularly well but their collection also features a number of European and American artists from the 20th century too. Many of the great galleries of the world have relied for a number of years on generous donations, which often come from individuals who have been grateful for these locations within their own lifetimes and want to help each venue benefit from their own wealth.

This painting can today be found within the collection of the Tate, who date it at 1795. They possess the finest selection of art of any public gallery in the UK and their permanent display can normally be viewed for free, though is distributed between several different art galleries with each concentrating on a particular era. The Tate Britain, for example, covers the Pre-Raphaelites particularly well, featuring a number of notable artworks from the likes of Rossetti, Waterhouse, Millais and Holman Hunt to mention just a small sample of a huge body of work.

Plate 4 of Visions of the Daughters of Albion in Detail William Blake