William

Blake
1757-1827

William Blake, (1757-1827)

One of the most prolific and distinctive English talents.
Poet
Illustrator
Engraver
Writer
Painter
His efforts:
Idiosyncratic (peculiar to the individual) and
Unorthodox (independent in behavior or thought, unconventional)
Such nature of work largely made them unappreciated in his own lifetime
restricting to only a very small circle of admirers and a very few patrons.
But lack of material success was a little consequence to Blake - he was
completely dedicated to his work and lived in the world of the imagination
and the spirit rather than the world of flesh.

Major Influences
Started his carrier as a commercial engraver working as an apprentice to
James Basire for seven years. It was during this period that he became a
master of all the techniques of engraving, etching and stippling.
He helped Basire with his engravings for illustrating books, among them
Jacob Bryants famous New system of Mythology, which introduced Blake to
the world of ancient religions and legends.
Another profound influence was the study he made, at Basires suggestion,
of the Gothic architecture and sculpture in West minister Abbey and other old
churches in London.
He also studied the engravings of the old masters most notably Michelangelo
and Raphael.

Romantic Elements

A powerful imagination is evident in every aspect of Blake's work.

The knowledge Blake gained from working as an engraver enabled him to
produce his own work in which he surrounded his poems with his own
illustration.
This was in 1788 and then on when he made his first experiments with
illuminated printing that is a combining words and images together on a
single copper plate by engraving, printing and then colouring them with hand.
He thus created a completely personal style and an original technique that
perfectly expressed the full intensity of his fantastic imageries and
visionary experience.
Blake simplifies the forms and the human body and creates bold
contrasts between different shapes and texture.
Blake was intent on developing his own personal symbolism, both in words
and pictures. By end of his life his poetic world had become highly
complicated and difficult to interpret. His art how ever, retained a brilliant
clarity and simplicity though his mystical references are sometimes obscure.

Inspirations and works

A deeply mystical man or a man beyond ordinary understanding.

The Bible was Blakes most frequent source of inspiration and he recreated
its awesome stories as he claimed to have visionary experiences (foresight)
that prompted him to invent his own belief system.
Among his other important works are the Illustrations of Dante's Divine
Comedy and poems of Milton and Shakespeare.
In 1794 he wrote and illustrated his Songs of Experiences, which give away
a much bleaker and more pessimistic outlook.
The Songs of Innocence on the other hand shows a more optimistic,
cheerful and affirmative approach. Both these two approaches are well
combined in order to show the two contrary states of human soul.
By end of his life his poetic world had become highly complicated and difficult
to interpret. His art how ever, retained a brilliant clarity and simplicity though
his mystical references are sometimes obscure.

Blake, Ancient of Days

Blake,
Plate 7
The Book of Urizen

Blake, The Body of Abel Found by Adam and Eve

Blake, Nebuchadnezzar

Blake, The Web of Religion, Top; The Tyger, Right

Blake, Songs of Innocence