Dr. South, Locke, Sherlock, Sir Isaac Newton and Thomas Sutton”, from Illustrations to the songs from William Blake’s Island in the Moon”

Charles Seliger, "Dr. South, Locke, Sherlock, Sir Isaac Newton and Thomas Sutton", 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, 1992.53.7
Charles Seliger, "Dr. South, Locke, Sherlock, Sir Isaac Newton and Thomas Sutton", 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, 1992.53.7

Artwork Details

Title
Dr. South, Locke, Sherlock, Sir Isaac Newton and Thomas Sutton”, 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 — Thomas Sutton
  • Literature — character — Sir Isaac Newton
  • Literature — character — Dr. Sherlock
  • Literature — character — Dr. Locke
  • Literature — character — Dr. South
  • Literature — Blake — Island in the Moon
  • Fantasy
  • Figure group
Object Number
1992.53.7

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 (12 items)

Hiram Maristany, Young Man with Roses, 1971, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center, 2016.30.12, © 1971, Hiram Maristany
Young Man with Roses
Date1971
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Kite Flying on Rooftop
Date1964
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Hiram Maristany, The Gathering, 1964, printed 2016, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center, 2016.30.4, © 1964, Hiram Maristany
The Gathering
Date1964, printed 2016
gelatin silver print
Not on view
Hiram Maristany, Hydrant: In the Air, 1963, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center, 2016.30.3, © 1963, Hiram Maristany
Hydrant: In the Air
Date1963
gelatin silver print
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

David Levinthal, Untitled from the series Hitler Moves East, 1975, printed 2015, Pigment print on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of an anonymous donor, 2017.32.168, © 1975, David Levinthal
Untitled from the series Hitler Moves East
Date1975, printed 2015
Pigment print on paper
Not on view
David Levinthal, Untitled from the series Hitler Moves East, 1974, printed 2015, Pigment print on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of an anonymous donor, 2017.32.156, © 1974, David Levinthal
Untitled from the series Hitler Moves East
Date1974, printed 2015
Pigment print on paper
Not on view
David Levinthal, Untitled from the series Hitler Moves East, 1974, printed 2015, Pigment print on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of an anonymous donor, 2017.32.154, © 1974, David Levinthal
Untitled from the series Hitler Moves East
Date1974, printed 2015
Pigment print on paper
Not on view