Glad Day (or The Dance of Albion)
Reproduction print (likely offset lithograph or canvas transfer) after a watercolor/engraving • After William Blake (1757–1827)
Style & Movement
Romanticism / Visionary Art
Medium & Technique
Mechanical print on canvas or textured paper; original technique was color-printed drawing with watercolor and ink
Creation Period
Modern reproduction (late 20th - early 21st century) based on a circa 1794-1796 original
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 12 x 18 inches; landscape format
Subject Description
A nude male figure (Albion) personifying liberty and spiritual awakening, standing with arms outstretched in a cruciform gesture against a burst of light. The composition represents the liberation of the human spirit from the constraints of materialism.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair to Good; as a modern reproduction in a late 20th-century wood frame, it shows signs of standard household aging
Estimated Market Value
$20 - $75 (Decorative value only)
Auction Estimate
$10 - $50
Provenance History
Likely purchased from a museum gift shop or commercial art retailer; no notable secondary market history indicated
Art Historical Significance
The original work is a seminal image in British Romanticism, capturing Blake's unique mythology and his rejection of Enlightenment rationalism in favor of imagination and rebellion.
Notable Features
This specific version is a popular icon of English Romantic art, often used to symbolize youth and the sunrise of the human spirit; seen here in a standard oak-finish frame.
Condition Issues
Slight surface wear; inexpensive modern framing. The print quality lacks the depth and plate marks of an original 18th-century Blake engraving.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain in a stable environment away from direct UV light to prevent fading of the print inks; no professional conservation required given its nature as a reproduction.