begin page 90 | back to top

Corrections of the BMPR Handlist

The following are a few additions and corrections to “A Handlist of Works by William Blake in the Department of Prints & Drawings of the British Museum,” appearing as the Spring 1972 issue of the Blake Newsletter, vol. 5, no. 4, whole number 20.

P. 226 of the Handlist. Drawings Royal Size Vol. 11.

LB3, “The resurrection of the dead” (1806) has been transferred to Drawings Imperial Size, vol. 1A.

P. 226. Drawings Royal Size Vol. 12A.

LB35, “The Ancient of Days,” watercolor, is very probably a copy by someone other than Blake.

P. 236. Engravings by Blake: Royal Size Mounted (c2*) vol. I.

R30xxvi and R30xxvii, “Caius Julius Caesar” and “Epicurus,” are not proofs.

The inventory numbers of the four Virgil engravings have been transposed in the Handlist. The proper numbers are as follows: R30xxiii, “Publius Virgilius Maro” (1867. 10. 12. 225); R30xxv, Group of five medallions (1867. 10. 12. 224); R30xxvi, “Caius Julius Caesar” (1874. 12. 12. 381); R30xxvii, “Epicurus” (1874. 12. 12. 382).

R32, “The Finding of Moses,” is a proof, after the plate was cut down for publication, but before all letters.

P. 236. Engravings by Blake: Royal Size Mounted (c2*) vol. III.

R34iii and R34iv, two of “five Dante trial proofs,” are not proofs, but are in the same state as published impressions.

P. 237. Engravings by Blake: Unmounted (c14*) After Stothard

R48iv, John Scott, tailpiece, is not a proof in the sense that the copperplate is in the same state as published impressions. This impression, however, is printed on a card rather than the paper used in the book.

After Fuseli

R79, “Tornado,” is a proof lacking the finish work in the design.

Gay, Fables (1793)

R80ii, “Fable VI,” (1894. 6. 12. 31) is a proof before signature and lacking some finish work in the design.

P. 239. Prints after Fuseli (c21*)

Add: “Tornado” for Darwin, Botanic Garden (1795), a proof lacking finish work in the design. 1863. 5. 9. 19.

P. 241. Engravings after Stothard vol. I (c20) R45, Enfield, The Speaker, is a proof, lacking all letters, with the profile of the angel visible rather than covered by his hair.

P. 242. Engravings after Stothard vol. I (c20) R49Ai, Novelist’s Magazine, vol. VIII, Don Quixote (Mambrino’s helmet), is a proof before all letters.

R49Aii, Novelist’s Magazine, vol. VIII, Don Quixote (Death of Quixote), is a proof before all letters.

Add: R49B, Novelist’s Magazine, vol. IX, Sentimental Journey (Dance of the Peasants), a proof before all letters. 49. 7. 21. 256.

R49Di should be R49C.

R49D (not R49Dii), Novelist’s Magazine, vol. IX, Launcelot Greaves (the hustings), is a proof before all letters.

R49Ei, Novelist’s Magazine, vol. X, Sir Charles Grandison (Miss Byron visiting Miss Irvoise), is a proof before all letters.

R49Eii, Novelist’s Magazine, vol. X, Sir Charles Grandison (duel of Sir Charles, O’Hare, and Salmonet), is a proof before all letters.

R55iii and R55iv, engravings for Ritson, Select Collection of English Songs, pp. 86 and 108, are proofs with the signatures of Stothard and Blake not appearing in the published state. These signatures are not handwritten but are in the plate.

begin page 91 | back to top

Add: R58i, The Wit’s Magazine, January issue, proof before letters of one of two alternate plates engraved by Blake for this issue. Names of Stothard and Blake added in pencil. 49. 7. 21. 502.

R63ii, “The Battle of Ain,” is a cropped impression, with remants of the border. There is nothing to indicate that it is a proof as the Handlist states.

P. 242. Engravings after Stothard Vol. II (c20) R47, Bonnycastle, Introduction to Mensuration, title-page vignette, is a proof on India paper with a double line border not appearing in the published state, and with signatures of Stothard and Blake not in the published state.

Add: John Scott, Poetical Works, plates as follows:

R48i, pl. 1 (proof before all letters). 49. 7. 21. 925.

R48ii, pl. 2 (proof before all letters). 49. 7. 21. 923.

R48ii, pl. 2 (published state). 49. 7. 21. 920.

R48iii, pl. 3 (proof before all letters). 49. 7. 21. 924.

R48iv, pl. 4 (published state). 49. 7. 21. 926.

Addition: Besides the proof before all letters of “The Right Honourable Earl Spencer” engraved by Blake after Phillips listed in the Handlist (p. 239, R104, 1873. 5. 10. 2651), there is another impression of this plate, Portraits Class II, Period 4, inventory number 1863. 8. 8. 73. This impression is signed in the plate T. Phillips R.A. pinx (lower left), W. Blake Sculp (lower right), and The Right Honourable Earl Spencer. This impression is particularly important since its inscriptions are the basis for attributing the plate to Blake.

Print Edition

  • Publisher
  • Department of English, University of New Mexico
  • Albuquerque, NM, USA
    • Editors
    • Morris Eaves
    • Morton D. Paley
    • Associate Editor for Great Britain
    • Frances A. Carey
    • Bibliographer
    • Ron Taylor
    • Editorial Assistants: for production
    • Judith Wallick Page
    • Donna Rix (in charge)
    • Sharon Stell
    • David Schnur
    • Editorial Assistants: for subscriptions
    • Graham Conley

    Digital Edition

    • Editors:
    • Morris Eaves, University of Rochester
    • Robert Essick, University of California, Riverside
    • Joseph Viscomi, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    • Project Manager
    • Joe Fletcher
    • Technical Editor
    • Michael Fox
    • Previous Project Manager and Technical Editor
    • William Shaw
    • Project Director
    • Adam McCune
    • Project Coordinator, UNC:
    • Natasha Smith, Carolina Digital Library and Archives
    • Project Coordinator, University of Rochester:
    • Sarah Jones
    • Scanning:
    • UNC Digital Production Center
    • XML Encoding:
    • Apex CoVantage
    • Additional Transcription:
    • Adam McCune
    • Jennifer Park
    • Emendations:
    • Rachael Isom
    • Mary Learner
    • Adam McCune
    • Ashley Reed
    • Jennifer Park
    • Scott Robinson
    • XSLT Development:
    • Adam McCune
    • Joseph Ryan
    • William Shaw
    • PHP and Solr Development:
    • Michael Fox
    • Adam McCune
    • Project Assistants:
    • Lauren Cameron,
    • Rachael Isom,
    • Mary Learner,
    • Jennifer Park,
    • Ashley Reed,
    • Adair Rispoli,
    • Scott Robinson
    • Sponsors
    • Funders
    • Blake/An Illustrated Quarterly
    • William Blake Archive
    • Carolina Digital Library and Archives
    • Use Restrictions
    • Copyright © 2015 Blake/An Illustrated Quarterly, all rights reserved. Items in this digital edition may be shared in accordance with the Fair Use provisions of U.S. copyright law. Redistribution or republication on other terms, in any medium, requires express written consent from the editors and advance notification of the publisher. Permission to reproduce the graphic images in this digital edition rests with the owning institutions.