Description
Although he rejected institutionalized religion, Blake was intensely spiritual, and much of his art was inspired by a highly personal reading of the Bible or by literature based upon it, such as John Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667). The Virgin Mary is centered in this highly stylized composition. Upon her lap she clasps the infant Christ whose outstretched arms foreshadow the Crucifixion. The Mother and Child are flanked by Saint Joseph on the left, and Saint Anne (the Virgin’s mother), on the right. Below, Saint John the Baptist, who foretold Christ’s death and resurrection, plays with a lamb.
Provenance
Thomas Butts [1757-1845], London (after 1805-by 1845); Thomas Butts Jr. (probably after 1845-by 1853); (his sale, Property of Thomas Butts, Esq., Messrs. Foster and Son, London, June 29, 1853, no. 127, sold to Henry George Bohn) (1853); Henry George Bohn [1796-1884], London (1853-?); Alexander Anderdon Weston [1822-1901; Lugt 65], by descent to his widow (?-1901); Mrs. Alexander Anderdon Weston (1901-1904); (her anonymous sale, Christie's, London, June 28, 1904, no. 5, sold to E. Parsons) (1904); E. Parsons, sold to W. Graham Robertson (1904); W. Graham Robertson [1866-1948], London (1904-1949); (his sale, Christie, Manson & Woods, Ltd., London, July 22, 1949, no. 24, probably sold to Thomas Agnew and Sons, London) (1949); (Thomas Agnew and Sons, London, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH) (1949-1950); Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1950-)
Accession Number
1950.239
Medium
black, gray, and brown ink applied with pen and point of brush; gray, pink, yellow, and green wash
Dimensions
Sheet: 37.9 x 32.5 cm (14 15/16 x 12 13/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund
Tags
Drawing Neoclassical & Romantic (1751–1850) Ink British
Background & Context
Background Story
The Holy Family (Christ in the Lap of Truth) from c. 1805 is a pen and wash drawing that combines Blake's visionary theology with his distinctive technique of applying ink with both pen and the point of a brush. The title—Christ in the Lap of Truth—identifies the theological meaning: Christ resting on the figure of Truth, suggesting that Christian revelation is grounded in spiritual truth rather than in historical events alone. The combination of pen work for the outlines and wash for the tonal values creates a drawing that is simultaneously linear and atmospheric, detailed and visionary.
Cultural Impact
Blake's Holy Family drawings demonstrate his ability to communicate complex theological ideas through visual images rather than through text alone. The title—Christ in the Lap of Truth—is a theological statement disguised as a devotional image: Christ resting on Truth suggests that revelation is grounded in spiritual truth, a position that aligns with Blake's radical Protestantism and his rejection of orthodox Christian doctrine in favor of personal spiritual experience.
Why It Matters
The Holy Family (Christ in the Lap of Truth) is Blake's theology in visual form: Christ resting on the figure of Truth, suggesting that revelation is grounded in spiritual truth rather than historical events. The pen and wash technique—linear definition combined with atmospheric tonal values—creates a drawing that is simultaneously detailed and visionary, orthodox and radical.
