The dramatic dome of St Paul's Cathedral is a masterpiece in and of itself, but this week it becomes a canvas for another great work of art: Ancient of Days by William Blake.
Described by its creator as "the best I have ever finished", the illustration depicts Urizen, a deity dreamt up by Blake himself, setting a compass to Earth. From Thursday 28 November — which would have been Blake's 262nd birthday — to Sunday 1 December, this small yet arresting image is recreated on a monumental scale, projected onto one of London's most iconic landmarks.
The illumination is the stunning result of a collaboration between Tate Britain, which is currently staging a "the UK’s largest survey of works by Blake for a generation", and St Paul's Cathedral, which is home to the most-visited Blake memorial in the UK. It's a particularly poignant tribute because, as The Guardian notes, the artist always aspired to having his work displayed in grand churches and palaces — an ambition that remained unfulfilled during his lifetime.
Ancient of Days lights up St Paul's Cathedral from Thursday 28 November to Sunday 1 December, 4.30pm-9.30pm.
