The Alchemy of William Blake: The Three Principles of the Divine Essence and 'An allegory of the Spiritual Condition of man'

The Alchemy Of William Blake: The Three Principles Of The Divine Essence And 'An Allegory Of The Spiritual Condition Of Man'

Jacob Boehme's three Principles are allegories of humanity's origins, birth, and rebirth and explain the existence of evil and injustice in the world. This is the secret teaching at the core of William Blake's cosmogony. Considering that the Greater Lights of Boehme's metaphysical system are the same as Blake's, we can start to comprehend why humanity falls so short of its potentiality.

Blake's painting is spiritual and gloriously esoteric. It presents a map of humanity's evolution and reintegration beyond the veil of death. Yet suffering is integral to that osmosis, and Blake understood this well. He must have been an extraordinary man. Not only could he compose poetry and create breathtakingly beautiful images using novel techniques, but his mind encompassed a universe of knowledge and understanding that only a true mystic could achieve. Therefore, we should never overlook the importance of symbolism in Blake's metaphysics. As he once remarked, “Allegory Address'd to the intellectual powers, while it is altogether hidden from the Corporeal Understanding, is My Definition of the Most Sublime Poetry.”

The lives of Jacob Boehme and William Blake were linked by a shared belief that life has a purpose and that human beings exist for a reason. They opposed the idea that the only pursuits worth undertaking were accumulating material wealth and enjoying power over others. They reasoned that such values contradicted the original teachings of Christ. Therefore, both men's legacies were shaped by a desire to transform the perception of reality for others. This process illustrates the influence of art on religion and society and its power to change who we think we are.

Philosophical alchemy is the key, and in this painting, Blake presents his entire theological system in symbolic form. It is evident why Blake would not only have identified with many of the ideas of Boehme but also with the life of the man himself, living humbly, believing himself to possess great insights which he absolutely must share with his fellow man, even under the threat of persecution. This identification of Boehme as a source for Blake's inspiration has not gone unnoticed. Blake wrote to his friend John Flaxman, “Paracelsus & Behmen appear'd to me before the American Revolution.” 

Images (c) Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

Text  (c) M.R. Osborne, 2024