Beauty arrives by mail. Finally, I found it, and it will be here soon! The power of the Internet to provide good service is proven, in my books.

On 25 July Edward Champion’s Return of the Reluctant blog posted a brief notice on The William Blake Archive. I’d been looking for a particular painting by Blake for some years, without finding a commercial reproduction anywhere. So I e-mailed them:

I'm a big Blake fan and I've been looking for a specific painting: 'Adam Naming the Animals'. I've contacted print sellers here in Sydney but no luck — it's not on their books.

I wonder if you can help me find where this painting is located, and whether it has been reproduced?

Will replied:

The painting you are looking for is called "Adam Naming the Beasts," and it is located at Pollok House in Glasgow, Scotland. Blake executed it in pen and tempera on fine linen and dated it 1810.

We do not currently have this image available in the Blake Archive. To inquire about reproductions, you might try contacting the Pollok House directly.

So I e-mailed them and Suzanne Finn replied immediately saying they stocked postcards at 40 pence per card, but that if I wanted anything bigger I should try Glasgow Museums Photolibrary. I e-mailed Winnie Tyrrell there and we exchanged a few messages (her: “We can provide you with a colour ink jet print of this painting. Either A4 size at a cost of £10.45 or A3 at £20.90. Postage & packing of £4 would be added to these costs.” and me: “I assume that the quality of the ink-jet print will be adequate for framing (which will cost me at least as much again as the print itself). If you could send me details of the print resolution, that would be great.”) sorting out the necessary details and arrangements.

I also purchased a telephone card at my tobacconist and called her twice: once to ascertain the quality of the print they would supply and the packing method, and once to give my credit card details. The print is in the mail.