De herder verjaagt de wolf

This wood engraving depicts a dynamic pastoral scene with a central shepherd figure gesturing wildly to drive off a fleeing wolf. The landscape is rendered with dense, expressive textures and high-contrast lines, featuring a rustic fence and building to the right. The artwork is characterized by a rough, direct style that emphasizes the emotional intensity of the rural encounter.

Commissioned for Robert John Thornton's edition of Virgil, these woodcuts represent William Blake's visionary interpretation of the pastoral tradition. The protective shepherd is a central archetype in Blake’s personal mythology, often symbolizing the Divine Image or the guardian of the soul's innocence within his broader Neoplatonic and mystical worldview.