Jerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion

Plate 2. Title page, copy E.
An image of ‘Hand’ and ‘Jerusalem’ falls published in the book between chapters one and two. This image is plate 26 of Jerusalem the Emanation of the Giant Albion, copy E. It is tilted on its side in the manuscript.[1]

Jerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion (1804–1820, with additions made even later) is a prophetic book by English poet William Blake. Jerusalem is the last, longest and greatest in scope of Blake's works. Etched in handwriting, accompanied by small sketches, marginal figures and huge full-plate illustrations, it has been described as "visionary theatre". The poet himself believed it was his masterpiece and it has been said that "of all Blake's illuminated epics, this is by far the most public and accessible".[2] Nonetheless, only six copies were printed in Blake's lifetime and the book, like all of Blake's prophetic works, was all but ignored by his contemporaries.

The lyric to the famous hymn Jerusalem (text also by Blake, with music by Sir Hubert Parry) is not connected to this poem. It is in fact taken from the preface to another of Blake's "prophetic books", Milton.

  1. ^ "Description: Jerusalem The Emanation of The Giant Albion, copy E, object 26 (Bentley 26, Erdman 26, Keynes 26)". The William Blake Archive. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  2. ^ Ackroyd, Peter, 1949- (1996). Blake. Knopf. ISBN 067940967X. OCLC 34487577.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)