Blake, William 1757-1827
English poet, painter, engraver and mystic

William Blake was born in London, the son of an Irish hosier. He did not go to school, but was apprenticed in 1771 to the engraver James Basire. After studying at the Royal Academy School he began to produce watercolour figure subjects and to engrave illustrations for magazines. His first book of poems, Poetical Sketches, appeared in 1783.

He went on to produce many 'illuminated books', in which the text is interwoven with his imaginative designs. These were printed from engraved copper plates and then either hand-coloured or printed in colour by himself or his wife, Catherine Boucher. Such books include Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794), collections of delicate lyrics which express his ardent belief in the freedom of the imagination and his hatred of rationalism and materialism; and mystical and prophetical works such as the Book of Thel (1789) and The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1793). Epic poems include The Four Zoas (1795-1804, begun as Vala), Milton (1804-08) and Jerusalem (1804-20).

His figure designs include a highly acclaimed series of 537 coloured illustrations to Edward Young's Night Thoughts (1797) and 12 to Robert Blair's The Grave (1808). His finest artistic work is to be found in the 21 Illustrations to the Book of Job (1826), completed when he was almost 70, and unequalled in modern religious art for imaginative force and visionary power. At his death he was employed on the illustrations to the Divina Commedia of Dante. He is also known as a wood engraver.

Among the most important of his paintings are The Canterbury Pilgrims, which the artist himself engraved; The Spiritual Form of Pitt guiding Behemoth (now in the National Gallery, London); Jacob's Dream; and The Last Judgement.

During his life he met with little encouragement from the public, but he was supported by the friendship of William Hayley, John Flaxman and Samuel Palmer, and by the financial generosity of John Linnell. He was upheld by the most real and vivid faith in the unseen, guided and encouraged - as he believed - by perpetual visitations from the spiritual world.

Discography: Blake's poetry was used as a basis for many musical compositions. Notable among these are: Ghost of Abel (Dennis Arundell), Songs and Proverbs (Benjamin Britten), Seasons (Eric Fogg), Job (Ralph Vaughan Williams), Jerusalem (Hubert Parry), Song of Liberty (Michael Tippett). Other songs have been set by William Busch, Phyllis Tate, and others.

Bibliography: Steward Crehan, Blake in Context (1984); Jack Lindsay, William Blake: His Life and Work (1978); David Bindman, Blake as an Artist (1977).