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William Blake: Engravings
built 278 days ago
William Blake wrote "The Chimney Sweeper" of "Songs of Innocence" in 1789. In the next to last line of the first stanza, the cry "'weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'weep!" is the child's attempt at saying "Sweep!
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William Blake is buried in Bunhill Fields Burial Ground, City Road, Finsbury, London, England. (This cemetery was originally the 'Dissenters' graveyard. There is no church attached to the cemetery and the ground is unconsecrated.) (See map...ref no. 21)
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Blake then beveled the edges of his copperplates with a file to prevent cutting through the paper when printing. Corners were rounded to minimize their tendency to crease the paper as it moved through the press. The plate was then polished so it could receive etching ground, an acid-resistant film that would later receive the incisions of Blake's design. The polishing began with a series of grinding materials, starting with the coarsest and progressing toward a fine abrasive. Olive oil, metal burnishers, and rolled felt were then used to polish the surface to a clean finish. A smooth surface made the plate easier to wipe clean from ink and reduced resistance from the etching tool as incisions were made.
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In 1800 Blake moved in to William Hayley's house in Feltham, Sussex, where he remained for three years. In 1803 Blake was charged with high treason for uttering seditious and treasonable expressions, but was later acquitted.
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Once the varnish was hardened and blackened, Blake's design could then be drawn on the varnished plate. Blake could either compose directly onto the plate or copy from an original design drawn on paper. Once the image was reduced from the original to fit the plate size, it had to be transferred directly to the plate. One method of transfer from paper to plate was called "calking." The back of the preliminary drawing was covered with ground chalk and the sheet was then placed face up on the plate. Blake then transferred the drawing with a blunt and round-pointed needled called a stift or calking needle... depositing on the plate particles of chalk along every line in the original design. Because calking reverses right to left in a print taken from the plate, the preliminary drawing had to be counterproved - transferred in reverse-onto the plate face down.
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While at Felpham, Blake was involved in a bizarre episode which could have proven disastrous; he was accused by a drunken soldier of cursing the king, and on this testimony he was brought to trial for treason. The cae against Blake proved flimsy, and he was cleared of the charges.
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