Jerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion

Jerusalem, subtitled The Emanation of the Giant Albion (1804–1820, with additions made even later), was the last, longest and greatest in scope of the prophetic books written and illustrated by the English poet, artist and engraver William Blake. Etched in handwriting, accompanied by small sketches, marginal figures and huge full-plate illustrations, it has been described as "visionary theatre".

The lyric to the famous hymn Jerusalem (text also by Blake, with music by Sir Hubert Parry) is not connected to this poem. It is in fact taken from the preface to another of his "prophetic books", Milton.

The poem, which was produced between 1804 and 1820, consists of 100 etched and illustrated plates, thus making it Blake's longest single work. The illustrated plates were made using Blake's self-devised technique of "illuminated printing", which required each copy to be individually coloured and produced, plate by plate. Blake was not averse to changing the text of some plates between printings or changing the colouring, as a result of which no two original copies of the poem are the same. Six copies (A-F) were printed between 1820 and 1827. Four copies (H–J) are posthumous (1832). Copy B is incomplete and includes only the First Chapter (25 plates). The arrangement of the Second chapter is different in early (A & C) and late (D & E) copies. Copy F that was collated later in 1827 by John Linnell is arranged like early copy C. There are only two colored copies (B & E). The sole extant colour edition of this work is in the collection of the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven, Connecticut.

The design corresponds to the following lines originally incised in the plate (see below the Separate proof in Fitzwilliam Museum), but erased later:

Half Friendship is the bitterest Enmity said Los
As he enterd the Door of Death for Albions sake Inspired
The long sufferings of God are not for ever there is a Judgment

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