Behemoth and Leviathan

William Blake
Britain
28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

Behemoth and Leviathan
plate 15 from Illustrations of the Book of Job
1823/1826
engraving on chine collé on paper
Place made
published by John Linnell, London
Medium
engraving on chine collé on paper
State
2nd edition, ii/ii
Dimensions
20.0 x 15.1 cm (image)
21.9 x 17.0 cm (plate)
45.2 x 34.2 cm (sheet)
Credit line
David Murray Bequest Fund 1954
Accession number
545G29
Signature and date
Signed and dated in plate l.r. "WBlake invenit & sculpt"; bot. c. "... Published ... March 8: 1925(sic) ...".
Catalogue raisonne
Binyon 120; Bindman 640
Media category
Print
Collection area
British prints

  • WALL LABEL: The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters, 2020

    In Behemoth and Leviathan, God and Job look down on earth to some of the wonders of God’s creation, in particular to His creation of and control over two large and frightening beasts.  

     

    The Behemoth is male and hippopotamus-like. It represents the forces of the land and its stylised form is inspired by Dürer's famous woodcut of a rhinoceros (1515). Below the Behemoth writhes the female Leviathan, a serpent-like sea monster rising out of the deep. Enclosed in a globe, these two beasts are thought to represent chaos and war, on land and at sea, respectively. 

     

    Julie Robinson, Senior Curator, Prints, Drawings & Photographs

     

  • William Blake's Engravings: The Book of Job and Dante's The Divine Comedy

    Art Gallery of South Australia,

  • The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters

    Art Gallery of South Australia, 29 February 2020 – 16 August 2020

  • Five Centuries of Genius: European Master Printmaking

    Art Gallery of South Australia, 5 May 2000 – 2 October 2000
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Behemoth and Leviathan

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G29
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Job accepting Charity

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G33
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Job accepting charity

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 20153G19
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Job and his daughters

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G34
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Job and his Family

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine-collé paper
    Accession no: 545G15
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Job and his wife restored to Prosperity

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G35
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Job rebuked by his friends

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G24
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Job's comforters

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G21
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Job's evil dreams

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G25
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Job's sacrifice

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G32
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Satan before the Throne of God

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G16
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Satan going forth from the presence of the Lord

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G19
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Satan smiting Job with boils

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G20
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    The Creation

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G28
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    The Destruction of Job's sons

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G17
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    The fall of Satan

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G30
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    The Lord answering Job out of the whirlwind

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G27
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    The Messengers tell Job of his Misfortune

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G18
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    The Vision of God

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G31
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    The wrath of Elihu

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G26
  • William Blake 28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827

    Title page

    1823/1826
    engraving on chine collé on paper
    Accession no: 545G14