WILLIAM BLAKE .doc

WILLIAM BLAKE  (1757 – 1827)  LIFE:

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born in London from a humble family. when when he he was was ten ten he he was was sent sent to to a dra drawi wing ng scho school ol he became became appre apprenti ntice ce to a famous famous engr engrave averr and began began to to draw the the monum monument entss in the old churches of London he stud studied ied at the the Roy Royal al Acad Academ emy y of of Art Artss he develo developed ped his his own own printi printing ng metho method d called called “illumi “illuminat nated ed printi printing” ng” he marri married ed an illi illitera terate te woman woman Cath Catheri erine ne ouch oucher er who who helped helped him him in his his wor!  wor!  he spe spent nt his his lif lifee in pove povert rty y and and obs obscu curi rity ty he die died d in Londo ondon n in in "#$% "#

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 poet& artist& radical and visionary he is one of the most comple' and astonishing  personalities of his age and in the history of literature. (o understand him we have to consider his comple'ity and his interrelated aspects.

THE MAN •

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)e was deeply aware of the great political and social issues of his age. )e re*ected all the products of the +nlightenment. )e was anti-,ndustrialiation as he saw in this the ruin of man. )e was also anti-Reason and anti-cience as he considered that they imprisoned man/s emotions and restricted his capacities for intuition& fantasy and imagination the only real instruments for comprehending the world and the cosmos. )e was anti-Civiliation& as society imposed conventions and rules that restricted not only man/s potential but also his freedom& both political and personal. A political freethin!er& he supported the 0rench revolution and remain a radical throughout his life. ,n his attitude of revolt he anticipates the themes of Romanticism.

THE ARTIST  •

1or! 1or!in ing g as an engr engrav aver er he disco discove vere red d the the beau beauty ty of alle allego gori rical cal and and flowe flowery ry decorations decorations becoming becoming imbued imbued with the religious symbolism symbolism of the 2othic style. )e "

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identified it with an ideal of spiritual and living art in contrast with the mechanical art of the materialistic classical world. )e bro!e with the conventions of perspective and proportions and created a new !ind of art which emphasised the power of the imagination. 3any of his paintings dealt with religious subjects . Also drew illustrations for the Bible and a cycle of drawings inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy.