The Mayor, from Illustrations to the songs from William Blake’s Island in the Moon”

Charles Seliger, The Mayor, from Illustrations to the songs from William Blake's "Island in the Moon", 1945, white ink on black ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Michael Rosenfeld, 1992.53.8
Charles Seliger, The Mayor, from Illustrations to the songs from William Blake's "Island in the Moon", 1945, white ink on black ink on paper, sheet: 1411 in. (35.627.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Michael Rosenfeld, 1992.53.8

Artwork Details

Title
The Mayor, from Illustrations to the songs from William Blake’s Island in the Moon”
Date
1945
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sheet: 1411 in. (35.627.9 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Michael Rosenfeld
Mediums
Mediums Description
white ink on black ink on paper
Classifications
Subjects
  • Literature — character — Mayor
  • Literature — Blake — Island in the Moon
  • Figure
  • Occupation — political — mayor
Object Number
1992.53.8

Artwork Description

At age nineteen, Charles Seliger drew illustrations for songs from the unfinished satire, An Island in the Moon by William Blake (1757-1827), an English poet, painter, and printmaker.
Written around 1785, the manuscript combines classical Greek satire with a critique of one of the intellectual salons of the London bourgeoisie. Each of Seliger’s drawings depict one or more of the absurdly named characters from Blake’s fictional island, some of whom also represent friends and contemporaries of the author. Suction, the Epicurean, for example, is believed to correspond to Blake’s brother Robert, and Quid, the Cynic refers to Blake himself.
Blake’s song lyrics range from vulgar to menacing to humorous. While Old Corruption is considered an allegory for sin, the song for which Seliger drew O, I Say You Joe, Throw Us the Ball was the first recorded poem to focus on cricket, an English bat-and-ball sport.

Abstract Drawings, 2012

Works by this artist (16 items)

Charles Seliger, Awakening, 1988, etching on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. George M. Jaffin, 1994.50, © 1988, Charles Seliger
Awakening
Date1988
etching on paper
Not on view
Charles Seliger, Suction, the Epicurean, from Illustrations to the songs of William Blake's "Island in the Moon", 1945, white ink on black ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Michael Rosenfeld, 1992.53.13
Suction, the Epicurean, from Illustrations to the songs of…
Date1945
white ink on black ink on paper
Not on view
Charles Seliger, Title page, Illustrations to the songs from William Blake's "Island in the Moon", 1945, white ink on black ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Michael Rosenfeld, 1992.53.1
Title page, Illustrations to the songs from William Blake’s…
Date1945
white ink on black ink on paper
Not on view
Charles Seliger, Celestial, 1956, mixed media: pencil, tempera, oil and wax on illustration board, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Hy Klebanow, 1992.58
Celestial
Date1956
mixed media: pencil, tempera, oil and wax on illustration board
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

Welmon Sharlhorne, Untitled (Building with Recessed Entrance and Black Foreground), ca. 1992, ink on manila envelope, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.135
Untitled (Building with Recessed Entrance and Black…
Dateca. 1992
ink on manila envelope
Not on view
Andrea Way, Bones, 1987, ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Tom and Judy Brody, 2009.38.3, © 1987, Andrea Way
Bones
Date1987
ink on paper
Not on view
William H. Johnson, Bearded Man, ca. 1935, pen and ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.378
Bearded Man
Dateca. 1935
pen and ink on paper
Not on view
Welmon Sharlhorne, Bus, ca. 1992, ink on manila envelope, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak and museum purchase through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment, 1997.124.134
Bus
Dateca. 1992
ink on manila envelope
Not on view