Artwork
Blasted Tree and Flattened Crops
Blasted Tree and Flattened Crops is an ink print by the Romanticist artist William Blake. It dates from 1821 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Blasted Tree and Flattened Crops is a 1821 wood engraving by William Blake, depicting a damaged tree and surrounding vegetation.
Subject & Meaning
The engraving shows a tree struck by lightning, with broken branches and flattened crops, conveying a sense of destruction and damage. Blake's work often carried symbolic weight, reflecting his exploration of imaginative and visionary themes.
Technique & Style
Created using wood engraving, the image features detailed textures achieved by carving designs into wood blocks. The simplicity of the composition belies its narrative potential, telling a story through its depiction of a damaged landscape.
Artist & collection
Artist
William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter and printmaker.
