William Blake

William Blake (1757-1827) became one of the greatest English poets and artists. This book takes a look at the highlights of his career as both artist and poet, with beautiful colour illustrations of forty-five of his most striking and unusual works. Blake devised a unique method of self-publishing that enabled him to combine written text and illustration on the same page. The resulting books, which he printed and coloured himself with the help of his wife, were hardly known in his lifetime. But, following their 'rediscovery' by Rossetti and his circle in the mid-nineteenth century, they have become some of the most admired works of English romantic art. This book begins with a brief life-story of William Blake, focussing on interesting aspects of his life and personality. The key illuminated books, prints and engravings, and marvellous lesser-known works, are then explored. Blake's inspiration from literary works by Shakespeare, Milton and Blair are also illustrated. The final section investigates the influence of artists who were contemporaries of Blake and, in turn, the influence of Blake on successive generations of artists.