Bindman, David. Blake as an Artist. Oxford: Phaidon, 1977
William Blake
Died: London, 12 August 1827
Nationality: English
son of a knitwear salesman
drawing school of Henry Pars (1767-72); apprenticed to engraver James Basire (1772-79); Royal Academy (1779-80)
1783 –John Flaxman helps finance publication of Blake’s Poetical Sketches
1785 – exhibits Story of Joseph (Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge), a series of three watercolors, at the RA
1787 –begins developing relief etching to self publish his illuminated prints
1791 – illustrates Mary Wollstonecraft’s Original Stories from Real Life; joins politically progressive circle of publisher Joseph Johnson along with Wollstonecraft and Heinrich Fuseli
1793-95 – produces series of illuminated prophetic books
1800-03 – Flaxman arranges work as assistant to poet William Hayley
1809-10 –retrospective exhibition in Blake’s childhood home
Thomas Butts, John Linnell
Songs of Innocence, 1789 (illuminated book)
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, 1789 (illuminated book)
Songs of Experience, 1794 (illuminated book)
Europe: A Prophecy, 1794 (illuminated book)
The Ancient of Days, 1794 (British Museum, London)
Jerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion, 1804-20 (illuminated book)
Milton: A Poem in 2 Books, 1804-09 (illuminated book)