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William Blake: Texts
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William Blake (1757-1827) produced books in a total act of self-publishing. He wrote the text, made relief etchings of the text (as mirror image) and the illustrations, printed and hand colored the pages.
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William Blake was born in London on November 28, 1757. He was the third son of a London hosier. Largely self-taught, Blake read the Bible, John Milton, Greek classics, Latin texts, William Shakespeare, and Ben Jonson.
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This exhibition consist of 137 works from the extensive Blake collection in the British Museum. There are original illuminated books on display along with watercolours and prints produced using a variety of techniques, as well as other related material. Most of the works are exhibited for the first time outside Great Britain, now in Helsinki and later next autumn in the Prague Castle. The works in the exhibition were selected by Professor David Bindman and Simon Baker, who ... wrote texts for the catalogue. The exhibition is produced by the British Museum and is supported by the British Council. Helsinki is a European City of Culture in 2000.
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In this instance, because the project was never completed, Blake's intent may itself be obscured. Some indicators... bolster the impression that Blake's illustrations in their totality would themselves take issue with the text they accompany: In the margin of Homer Bearing the Sword and His Companions, Blake notes, "Every thing in Dantes Comedia shews That for Tyrannical Purposes he has made This World the Foundation of All & the Goddess Nature & not the Holy Ghost." Blake seems to dissent from Dante's admiration of the poetic works of the ancient Greeks, and from the apparent glee with which Dante allots punishments in Hell (as evidenced by the grim humour of the cantos).
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