arg!!! citation help?

William Blake is said to have described an artist who was fascinated by the surface qualities of flesh since his earliest childhood. When this artist was a young boy he used to watch his father at work, enthralled by how the veins showed through the flushed and ruddy skin, the bluish-green web of fine lines just faintly discernable beneath the translucent, rosy, surface and undulating in time to his father’s movements. Blake says, “I knew then, he was condemned to be a painter.” I read this anecdote somewhere in Blake's writings and want to use it in the introduction of my thesis on flesh painting techniques. (above) Can't remember where though. I know it's a shot in the dark, but any ideas out there where I might have seen it? Some general context: pertains to Blake's anti-naturalism in his art, might be a rant about Sir Joshua Reynolds. It's driving me nuts. Thank you very much!

can't say that comes to mind right off; some obscure anecdote about Blake that's slipped through the cracks. Will keep an eye out. Good luck-

ruddicomb

His biography on the site might give you some ideas :)
http://www.online-literature.com/blake/

You could also try searching The William Blake Archive for your quote:
http://www.blakearchive.org/blake/search.html

Hello. You may already have your answer but just in case.. I think it might have been Rodin.