William Blake

Alexander Macmillan, by 1876;
by descent to his daughter, Mrs Norman Maclehose;
by descent to her daughter, Mrs Arthur Moverley;
by descent to her daughter, Mrs B. Clarke;
her sale, London, Sotheby's, 24 June 1971, lot 108

London, Burlington Fine Arts Club, The Works of William Blake, 1876, no. 142

M. Butlin, The Paintings and Drawings of William Blake, London 1981, no. 158, pl. 186  

There is minor discolouration to this large sheet and there is evidence of some surface dirt. The watercolour pigments have faded a little, however despite this, they are still very much visible. In our opinion this work would clean well. There is a repaired tear, located along the upper edge of the sheet and at all four corners there has been some minor pigment loss. The sheet has been laid down onto an acidic board and this should be removed by a conservator. For further information on this lot please contact Mark Griffith-Jones at mark.griffithjones@sothebys.com or 0207 293 5083.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In this powerful watercolour Blake depicts a moving passage from the Book of Genesis. Joseph, who had become an influential figure in the Pharaoh’s household after successfully interpreting the Egyptian ruler’s dreams and therefore predicting a seven year famine, has been approached by ten of his eleven brothers. Desperate to acquire grain to replace their own poor quality crops in Canaan, the brothers fail to recognize Joseph as their long lost sibling. Seizing an opportunity to take revenge for the earlier wrongs inflicted upon him by his brothers, Joseph accuses them of being spies and decrees that while nine of them should be banished from the kingdom, Simeon should be imprisoned.

This is evidently a moment of high tension and great emotion, Blake masterfully depicts the shock on the brothers' faces, while showing Joseph collapsed against a table, weeping under the strain of his decision. This drawing, with its confident pen-work and subtle washes of colour, is a preparatory study for a watercolour of the same title that Blake exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1785 (see fig 1). That watercolour is now in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge and was one of three works created by Blake in that year that focused on Joseph’s story.