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Creator:
William Blake, 1757–1827
Text by Thomas Gray, 1716–1771
Title:
Fame (Design 93)
Additional Title(s):

Verso: A Bird Singing (Design 94)

Ode for Music
Part Of:

Collective Title: The Poems of Thomas Gray

Date:
between 1797 and 1798
Materials & Techniques:
Watercolor with pen and black ink and graphite on moderately thick, slightly textured, cream wove paper with inlaid letterpress page
Dimensions:
Sheet: 16 1/2 x 12 3/4 inches (41.9 x 32.4 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:

Inscribed in black ink upper right: "1"; on verso in black ink upper left: "2"; in black ink center: "Ode for Music | 1. Fame | 2. A bird singing | 3. A Genius driving away 'Comus & his | midnight crew' | 4. Milton struck the corded Shell | Newtons self bends from his state sublime | 5. 'I wood the gleam of Cynthia silver bright | When willowy Camus lingers with delight' | 6. 'Great Edward with the lillies on his brow | To hail the festal morning come' | 7. 'Leaning from her golden cloud | The venerable Margaret' | 8. 'The Laureate wreathe' | 9. 'Nor fear the rocks nor seek the shore' | 10. Fame."

Lettered on inlaid page: "ODE FOR MUSIC. | Performed in the | SENATE-HOUSE | at | CAMBRIDGE, JULY 1, 1769, | At the INSTALLATION of his Grace | AUGUSTUS-HENRY FITZROY, Duke of | GRAFTON, CHANCELLOR of the University."

Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1992.8.11(47)
Classification:
Drawings & Watercolors
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Subject Terms:
angel | bird | branch | comet | dome | Horn (Musical instrument) | literary theme | night | pyramid (geometric figure) | religious and mythological subject | sky | spires | stars | text | trumpet | vine | wings | woman
Access:
Accessible by appointment in the Study Room [Request]
Note: The Study Room is open by appointment. Please visit the Study Room page on our website for more details.
Link:
https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:3687
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Colin Cross, Blake revealed, William Blake : Discovery of a Masterwork , Observer, vol. 12, November 21, 1971, pp. 19-23, V 1245 Detached from Observer colour magazine [ORBIS]

Arnold Fawcus, Unknown Watercolours by William Blake, Illustrated London News, vol. 259, No. 6881, December 25, 1971, pp. 45-46, 49-51, Illustrated London News Historical Archive [ORBIS]


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