{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O74285"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O74285/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PG6512/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PG6512/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PG6512","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AL2113","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AL2112","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AP9147","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AW4344","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NP9761","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O74285/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O74285","accessionNumber":"P.6-1972","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"The Angels hovering over the body of Christ in the Sepulchre","type":"popular title"},{"title":"Christ in the sepulchre, guarded by angels","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"Thomas Butts (1757-1845), a civil servant, was one of William Blake's most loyal patrons.  He commissioned Blake (1757-1845) to make over 80 watercolours of subjects from the Bible.  This watercolour depicts the body of Jesus Christ, which was placed in a cave (his tomb or sepulchre) following his death by crucifixion.  When Mary Magdalene visits, she is startled to find two angels sitting at the head and feet 'where the body of Jesus had lain'.  Jesus then appears and speaks to her.  For his imagery Blake sought out a description in the Book of Exodus in the Old Testament.  When the prophet Moses is alone on Mount Sinai, God tells him to instruct the Israelites to make a 'mercy seat' flanked by cherubims (angels) all made of gold.  The description of the angels in Exodus is the source for Blake's design here.  This is an unusual and striking visual interpretation of the biblical text.  The strange light and colours used here convey a sense of the mystery of the scene.","physicalDescription":"Two identical angels in white robes with wings entended and pointing upwards form a triangular shape with Christ as a corpse, swathed in white robes beneath them.  There is a glowing light between the heads of the two angels. Signed by the artist.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Blake, William","id":"A3132"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour (paint)","id":"AAT15045"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour painting (technique)","id":"THES250889"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Watercolour and pen and ink on paper","categories":[{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Watercolours","id":"THES277714"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"}],"styles":[{"text":"British School","id":"x30967"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2025PG6512","2006AL2113","2006AL2112","2006AP9147","2006AW4344","2023NP9761"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLH","id":"THES49654"},"free":"","case":"WD","shelf":"61","box":"A"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour (painting)","id":"AAT78925"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1805","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1809-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the heirs of Esmond Morse","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"51.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"39.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Provenance: Thomas Butts; Thomas Butts jun., sold Foster's 29 June 1853 (no. 90), J. C. Strange, after 1876 it came into the collection of Sydney Morse (1854-1929). His son, Esmond Morse, died in 1970 and the heirs of Esmond Morse gave the watercolour to the museum in 1972.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Watercolour by William Blake entitled 'Christ in the sepulchre, guarded by angels'. Great Britain, 1808. ","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"p. 224","free":"Alice Insley, David Blayney Brown, Ágnes Péter, László F. Földényi, Ferenc Gosztonyi, Csilla Regős, ‘The Marriage of Heaven and Hell: William Blake (1757-1827) and his Contemporaries’, Museum of Fine Art, Budapest, 2026. ISBN: 978-6156982049"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Jesus","id":"N58"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"angels","id":"x30526"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["The Bible, Exodus"],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"William Blake 1757-1827 \nChrist in the Sepulchre, Guarded by Angels\nAbout 1805; signed and inscribed 'Exod : Cxxv.V.20'\n\n\nBlake has combined two biblical subjects. One comes from the description of the Tabernacle in the Old Testament book of Exodus: 'the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high...and their faces shall look one to another'. The other derives from the Gospel of St John in the New Testament: 'two angels in white sitting...where the body of Jesus had lain'.\n\n\nPen and ink and watercolour on paper\n\nGiven by the heirs of Esmond Morse 1972\nMuseum no. P.6-1972","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["P.6-1972"],"accessionNumberNum":"6","accessionNumberPrefix":"P","accessionYear":1972,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-27","recordCreationDate":"2003-02-12","availableToBook":false}}