Suction, the Epicurean, from Illustrations to the songs of William Blake’s Island in the Moon”

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
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, sheet: 1411 in. (35.627.9 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Michael Rosenfeld, 1992.53.13

Artwork Details

Title
Suction, the Epicurean, from Illustrations to the songs of 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 — Suction
  • Literature — Blake — Island in the Moon
  • Fantasy
  • Figure
Object Number
1992.53.13

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 (9 items)

Morris Louis, Beta Upsilon, 1960, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase from the Vincent Melzac Collection through the Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program, 1980.5.6
Beta Upsilon
Date1960
acrylic on canvas
On view
Morris Louis, Untitled, 1956, oil and acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase from the Vincent Melzac Collection through the Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program, 1980.5.4
Untitled
Date1956
oil and acrylic on canvas
Not on view
Morris Louis, Aurora, 1958, acrylic on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase from the Vincent Melzac Collection through the Smithsonian Institution Collections Acquisition Program, 1980.5.7
Aurora
Date1958
acrylic on canvas
Not on view
Morris Louis, (Untitled D233b), 1949, pen and ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Marcella Brenner, 1981.93.3B, © 1949, Morris Louis
(Untitled D233b)
Date1949
pen and ink on paper
Not on view

More Artworks from the Collection

Bently
Dateca. 1975
gelatin silver print
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Lure of the Sea
Dateca. 1975
gelatin silver print
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Eugene Von Bruenchenhein, Untitled, ca. 1945-1950, gelatin silver print, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Lewis and Jean Greenblatt, 2002.86.9
Untitled
Dateca. 1945-1950
gelatin silver print
Not on view