Three works make up the trilogy known as the Bibles of Hell. The other titles in this series are The First Book of Urizen and The Book of Ahania. This single plate is from the Book of Los, whose topic is the creation from Los's point of view. The double-column text is also characteristic of Urizen, which hangs nearby. The only complete copy of The Book of Los is in the British Museum. The Morgan has two plates—this one and plate 4—and a single plate from Ahania.
William Blake (1757-1827), The Book of Los, Intaglio etching, 1795 Plate 5, PML 77019.64