William Blake

William Blake (1757-1827) was a visionary English poet, painter, and printmaker, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of literature and art. Born in London as the son of a hosier, he was largely self-taught. His family was radical politically and non-conformist in religion, attributes that would influence his work. He began his career at age 14 as the apprentice to an engraver, where he stayed for seven years. Early works such as Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794) were printed using his innovative method of relief etching, which combined text and design: he called them illuminated books. Blake's work often explored themes of spirituality, imagination, and the human condition, challenging the conventional norms of his time. Despite facing criticism and obscurity during his lifetime, Blake's innovative approach to art and poetry has earned him posthumous recognition as a pioneer of the Romantic movement.



Blake's oeuvre includes over a dozen illuminated books in addition to his Songs, among them The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1790-1793) and Jerusalem (1804-1820), as well as prints, paintings, and drawings. His influence can be seen in various artistic and literary movements, and his legacy continues to inspire contemporary artists and writers. Today, William Blake is celebrated not only for his contributions to literature and art but also for his visionary perspective that transcended the boundaries of his era.


WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

The Bed of Death ( recto ); and A subsidiary sketch of a figure in a doorway ( verso )

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

Paolo and Francesca

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

'With Songs the Jovial Hinds Return from Plow'

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

The Pastorals of Virgil: Four Plates

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

The Pastorals of Virgil

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

The Man Sweeping the Interpreter's Parlor

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

Oberon and Titania on a Lily

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

Songs of Innocence

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

Songs of Experience

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

Mr. Cumberland

William Blake (1757-1827)

Enoch (Binyon 136; Bindman 413; Essick XV 1B)

William Blake (London 1757-1827)

The Flight into Egypt

William Blake (1757-1827)

Enoch (Binyon 136; Bindman 413; Essick XV 1D.)

William Blake (1757-1827)

llustrations of the Book of Job (Binyon 105-126; Bentley 421)

William Blake (1757-1827)

Prospectus of a new and elegant edition of Blair's Grave . London: printed by T. Bensley, November 1805.

William Blake (London 1757-1827)

An angel, arms upraised, with another figure

William Blake (London 1757-1827)

A visionary head: Portrait of King Edward III

BLAKE, William (1757-1827), illustrator – YOUNG, Edward (1683-1765)

The Complaint, and The Consolation; or, Night Thoughts . London: R. Noble for R. Edwards, 1797.

BLAKE, William (1757-1827), illustrator – YOUNG, Edward (1683-1765)

The Complaint, and The Consolation; or, Night Thoughts . London: R. Noble for R. Edwards, 1797.

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

The Circle of Thieves: Agnolo Brunelleschi Attacked by a Six-Footed Serpent, plate IV from Illustrations to Dante's Divine Comedy (Bindman 650)

WILLIAM BLAKE

The Circle of the Traitors: Dante's Foot Striking Bocca degli Abbate, from Dante's Divine Comedy (B. 133, Bi. 653)

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

The Circle of the Corrupt Officials (The Devils Mauling Each Other), from Dante's Divine Comedy (Binyon 129; Bindman 649)

William Blake (1757-1827) and Thomas Butts

Christ trampling upon Urizen

WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

Illustrations of the Book of Job