Artists Series: William Blake

A compelling introduction to the life and work of William Blake, an exuberant and rebellious personality whose radical vision was deeply concerned with the social, religious, and political issues of his age

William Blake (1757–1827) is renowned today for his eccentric imagination and distinctive style. His poems, prints, and paintings—inspired by the visions he claimed to see of angels and demons—reveal a free-thinking radical and a champion of artistic experimentation. His elaborate mythological works directly address the major historical events of his time, including industrialization, revolution, and the transatlantic slave trade, and appeal to modern ideas about liberty and social justice. This fascinating introduction explores the life and work of Blake. From his early training in draftsmanship and his pivotal time as an engraver’s apprentice, it traces his incredible career through a selection of extraordinary works and highlights his lifelong interest in integrating visual art and poetry, which culminated in the experimental printing technique that he used to create his famous illuminated books. An artist dedicated to his work, Blake’s intriguing creative vision—at times both hopeful and apocalyptic—has had a lasting cultural impact that continues to capture the imagination today.

Caroline Anjali Ritchie is a research fellow at Exeter College, University of Oxford. She is currently writing a scholarly book entitled William Blake and the Cartographic Imagination (forthcoming with Palgrave Macmillan).