William Blake's Abridged Biography

           William Blake's poetry and art made him one of the most well known artists of the Romantic era. Born in London, England on November 1757, his childhood visions of religious figures would influence his future views and artistic works. Blake learned to read and write, but did not attend conventional school. His early interests in painting allowed him to attend a drawing school at the age of ten. Extensive reading also formed Blake's love for poetry. Blake would eventually become an apprentice engraver. His Gothic and apocalyptic style was influenced by his studies at Westminster Abbey where he would sketch the scenes around him. Because of Blake's religious themes, negative assumptions were made of him. Blake's goal was to have a moral revolution for his era; he believed that people should be allowed freedom of reason about religion and history. Imperialism and monarchies of Blake's time brought corruption and abuse onto the people, and he would use art as a means to reform the society in which he lived. Blake's thoughts on education, love, and gender roles, as well as political, social, and moral issues were expressed in his work. William Blake met and married his wife Cathrine Boucher in 1782. Blake would teach his illiterate wife how to read, write, and engrave, and she helped him print illuminated work. Blake's ability with engraving, and his invention of relief etching made him stand out among other artists. Most of Blake's work was accompanied by an etching which he created by drawing the text and illustrations onto copper plates. He would bathe the plates in acid, the untreated copper would dissolve and would leave behind an etching. Water colors would be added to produce vivid illustrations that would increase the meaning, and value of Blake's work. He used relief etching in most of his well-known productions, including the Songs of Innocence and Experience, The Book of Thel, the Marriage of Heaven and Hell, and Jerusalem. Dante's Inferno was Blake's greatest engraving achievements that he worked on, but did not finish, till the day he died in 1827.

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