Opening Hours
Daily: 10 A.M.–5 P.M.
Closed on Tuesdays
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108
Drawings
Vala Sketchbook -- after William Blake's 'Vala' or 'The Four Zoas'
Image not available
- Date
- n.d.
- Accession number
- 92.11
- Maker
- Unknown(Opens in new tab) (Unknown)
- Dimensions
- 6 7/8 x 5 1/4 in. (17.5 x 13.3 cm.)
- Medium
- pencil, pen and ink
- Description
- See Robert Essick's catalog, p. 237: '11 leaves with 10 pages bearing pencil copies of Blake's drawings. A pictorial title page in purple ink is inscribed 'Drawings/From/Vala.' The front free endpaper is inscribed 'From D.H.G. 1922. `How is it we have walked through fire, and yet are not consumed?' Vala. IX. 840.' With pencil notations on the verso of the last leaf, apparently unrelated to the drawings.' The correspondance regarding the acquisition is housed with the sketchbook. There is a letter dated March 9, 1939 from the Huntington to Mr. Arthur M. Hind, Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Museum asking him to comment on the sketches. Mr. Hind replies in a letter dated March 28, 1939 to Mr. Schad: 'Dear Mr Schad The drawings are all weaker than the original `Vala'; and can only be copies, I think; and Geoffrey Keynes, who saw them today (? the original Vala MS [manuscript]), agreed. Accidental things in shadow etc are repeated(?), which could(?) be invisible(?) if they were reveitalum? by Blake himself. The title must be made up; I can't find the de? (and G.K. doesn't know it). I have put some notes on the back of photos. Kind remembrances(?), Your ?, AM Hind' And June 12, 1939: 'Mr. Bliss: Offered to Library by Homer Crotty. He considered this while it was the property of the Millard Estate and and at that time corresponded with Mr. Jind of B.M. regarding its relation to Blake. Judging by photostats sent him AMH [Arthur M. Hind] decided that the drawings were not by Blake but very likely the work of an admirer studying the Book of `Vala' mss. in the B.M. If catalogued I would suggest it it be entered as 'Blakeana' a volume of sketches by an unidentified hand based on the 'Vala' mss. in the B.M. ROS'
