This plaster relief depicts Paolozzi's sculpture, Newton after Blake, which is stationed outside of the British Library. The sculpture was commissioned by Colin St John Wilson, the architect of the library and one of Paolozzi’s close friends.

Paolozzi was inspired by William Blake's 1795 watercolour of Sir Isaac Newton, which resides in Tate’s collection. Although the sculpture takes inspiration from Blake’s painting, Paolozzi is representing both Blake and Newton in this piece. He explains that, ‘While Blake may have been satirising Newton, I see this work as an exciting union of two British geniuses. Together, they present to us nature and science, poetry, art, architecture – all welded, interconnected, interdependent'. Paolozzi's own interest in the connection between man and machine helps to present the complex relationship between nature and science.