Difference between revisions of "William Blake"
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'''William Blake''' (1757-1827) was a [[British]] [[poet]], [[painter]], visionary mystic, and engraver, who illustrated and printed his own books. The best-known are the lyrical ''Songs of Innocence'' (1789) and ''Songs of Experience'' (1794) and his comments on established [[religion]], ''The Marriage of Heaven and Hell'' and ''The Everlasting Gospel''. His best-known work is the opening lines to his poem ''Milton'', which were set to music by Parry, ironically titled "Jerusalem," and is one of the most popular English hymns. He illuminated his self-published writings, illustrated [[Dante]] and Chaucer, and painted singular oils such as ''The Ghost of a Flea''. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2005/apr/25/williamblake] | '''William Blake''' (1757-1827) was a [[British]] [[poet]], [[painter]], visionary mystic, and engraver, who illustrated and printed his own books. The best-known are the lyrical ''Songs of Innocence'' (1789) and ''Songs of Experience'' (1794) and his comments on established [[religion]], ''The Marriage of Heaven and Hell'' and ''The Everlasting Gospel''. His best-known work is the opening lines to his poem ''Milton'', which were set to music by Parry, ironically titled "Jerusalem," and is one of the most popular English hymns. He illuminated his self-published writings, illustrated [[Dante]] and Chaucer, and painted singular oils such as ''The Ghost of a Flea''. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2005/apr/25/williamblake] | ||
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Blake was sometimes called mad because of his unusual views on religion and morality, and because he claimed that his work was inspired by visions. He lived in near-poverty most of his life, and when he died he was buried in a common grave. | Blake was sometimes called mad because of his unusual views on religion and morality, and because he claimed that his work was inspired by visions. He lived in near-poverty most of his life, and when he died he was buried in a common grave. | ||
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Beatrice addressing Dante from the Car, ca. 1824–27. | Beatrice addressing Dante from the Car, ca. 1824–27. | ||
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[[File:Blake, William The Ancient of Days 1794.jpg|340px]] | [[File:Blake, William The Ancient of Days 1794.jpg|340px]] | ||
The Ancient of Days, 1794. | The Ancient of Days, 1794. | ||
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[[File:William Blake, Inventions on the Book of Job (Illustrations of the Book of Job), PLATE II, 1823.jpg]] | [[File:William Blake, Inventions on the Book of Job (Illustrations of the Book of Job), PLATE II, 1823.jpg]] | ||
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== See also == | == See also == | ||
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*[[Polymath]] | *[[Polymath]] | ||
*[[And Did those Feet]] | *[[And Did those Feet]] | ||
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blake, William}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Blake, William}} | ||
| − | [[Category:Poets]] | + | [[Category:British Poets]] |
[[Category:Artists]] | [[Category:Artists]] | ||
| − | [[Category:Painters]] | + | [[Category:English Painters]] |
Revision as of 21:30, May 12, 2017
William Blake (1757-1827) was a British poet, painter, visionary mystic, and engraver, who illustrated and printed his own books. The best-known are the lyrical Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794) and his comments on established religion, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell and The Everlasting Gospel. His best-known work is the opening lines to his poem Milton, which were set to music by Parry, ironically titled "Jerusalem," and is one of the most popular English hymns. He illuminated his self-published writings, illustrated Dante and Chaucer, and painted singular oils such as The Ghost of a Flea. [1]
He also wrote and illustrated several long epic poems of his own invented mythology. These are some of the most strikingly original works in English literature and art. His work was so different from that of most poets of his time that it was mainly ignored during his lifetime.
Blake belonged to no particular poetic movement, but is now often felt to be one of the earliest and greatest figures of the Romantic movement which flourished in the first half of the nineteenth century. He proclaimed the supremacy of the imagination over the rationalism and materialism of the 18th century. He joined for a time the Swedenborgian Church of the New Jerusalem in London and considered Newtonian science to be a limitation on the human imagination. Misunderstanding shadowed his career as a writer and artist and it was left to later generations to recognize his importance. William Blake is far and away the greatest artist Britain has ever produced. The Guardian, UK. Ibidem
The imaginative character of his designs is the source of the deepest interest of his work; but the mere student of the art of engraving will find in his best plates, such as the Illustrations of the Book of Job, examples of technical skill, and of fine drawing, which prove not only admirable training of hand and eye, but give evidence of the integrity of his moral nature. The stroke of his graver is both vigorous and tender: it is always sure and steady, however delicate. Fanciful as his conceptions may be, they are rendered with a distinctness that leaves no question of the clearness of the vision from which they proceeded, or of his power to express them with definite outline. [2]
Blake was sometimes called mad because of his unusual views on religion and morality, and because he claimed that his work was inspired by visions. He lived in near-poverty most of his life, and when he died he was buried in a common grave.
Beatrice addressing Dante from the Car, ca. 1824–27.
The Ancient of Days, 1794.
,_PLATE_II,_1823.jpg)
Inventions on the Book of Job (Illustrations of the Book of Job), PLATE II, 1823.
