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| Anonymous Italian Artist Study of Left Arm 18th century drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |
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| Anonymous Artist Study of Right Arm ca. 1896 drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |
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| Antonio Raffi Académie ca. 1750-75 drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |
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| François Lemoyne Figure Study ca. 1730 drawing Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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| Nicolas-Bernard Lépicié Académie with Two Figures before 1784 drawing Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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| Nicolas-Bernard Lépicié Académie before 1784 drawing Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
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| Francis Augustus Lathrop Figure Study ca. 1894 drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |
from The Last Judgment
Many suppose that before the Creation All was Solitude & Chaos. This is the most pernicious Idea that can enter the Mind as it takes away all sublimity from the Bible & Limits All Existence to Creation & to Chaos, To the Time & Space fixed by the Corporeal Vegetative Eye, & leaves the Man who entertains such an Idea the habitation of Unbelieving Demons. Eternity Exists, and All things in Eternity, Independent of Creation which was an act of Mercy. I have represented those who are in Eternity by some in a Cloud within the Rainbow that Surrounds the Throne; they merely appear as in a Cloud when any thing of Creation, Redemption or Judgment are the Subjects of Contemplation, tho' their Whole Contemplation is Concerning these things; the Reason they so appear is The Humiliation of the Reasoning & doubting Selfhood, & the Giving all up to Inspiration. By this it will be seen that I do not consider either the Just or the Wicked to be in a Supreme State, but to be every one of them States of the Sleep which the Soul may fall into in its deadly dreams of Good & Evil when it leaves Paradise following the Serpent.
– William Blake (ca. 1818)
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| Anonymous Italian Artist Figure seated on Clouds ca. 1750-75 drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |
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| Anonymous Italian Artist Seated Figure ca. 1750 drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |
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| Charles West Cope Study of Lower Legs in Tights before 1890 drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |
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| Felice Giani after Dosso Dossi St Sebastian ca. 1821-22 drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |
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| Ubaldo Gandolfi Académie ca. 1750 drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |
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| Anonymous Italian Artist Académie 1842 drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |
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| Anonymous Italian Artist Académie 18th century drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |
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| Anonymous Italian Artist Académie 18th century drawing Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |