William Blake

by Alan Moore (Afterword), Martin Myrone (Editor), Amy Concannon (Editor)

An authoritative look at William Blake's life and enduring relevance as a prophetic artist, poet, and printmaker

William Blake (1757-1827) created some of the most iconic images in the history of art. He was a countercultural prophet whose personal struggles, technical innovations, and revelatory vision have inspired generations of artists. This marvelously illustrated book explores the biographical, artistic, and political contexts that shaped Blake's work, and demonstrates why he was a singularly gifted visual artist with renewed relevance for us today.

The book explores Blake's relationship with the art world of his time and provides new perspectives on his craft as a printmaker, poet, watercolorist, and painter. It makes sense of the profound historical forces with which he contended during his lifetime, from revolutions in America and France to the dehumanizing effects of industrialization. Readers gain incomparable insights into Blake's desire for recognition and commercial success, his role as social critic, his visionary experience of London, his hatred of empire, and the bitter disappointments that drove him to retire from the world in his final years. What emerges is a luminous portrait of a complicated and uncompromising artist who was at once a heretic, mystic, saint, and cynic.

With an afterword by Alan Moore, this handsome volume features many of the most sublime and exhilarating images Blake ever produced. It brings together watercolors, paintings, and prints, and draws from such illuminated masterpieces as Songs of Innocence and of Experience, Europe a Prophecy, and apocalyptic works such as Milton and Jerusalem.

Published in association with Tate

Exhibition Schedule
Tate Britain, London
September 11, 2019-February 2, 2020

Genres: Art, Romanticism, Poetry

224 pages, Hardcover

Published October 29, 2019

About the author

Alan Moore is an English writer most famous for his influential work in comics, including the acclaimed graphic novels Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell. He has also written a novel, Voice of the Fire, and performs "workings" (one-off performance art/spoken word pieces) with The Moon and Serpent Grand Egyptian Theatre of Marvels, some of which have been released on CD.

As a comics writer, Moore is notable for being one of the first writers to apply literary and formalist sensibilities to the mainstream of the medium. As well as including challenging subject matter and adult themes, he brings a wide range of influences to his work, from the literary–authors such as William S. Burroughs, Thomas Pynchon, Robert Anton Wilson and Iain Sinclair; New Wave science fiction writers such as Michael Moorcock; horror writers such as Clive Barker; to the cinematic–filmmakers such as Nicolas Roeg. Influences within comics include Will Eisner, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kirby and Bryan Talbot.

Reviews

[Mehmet Dönmez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I'm not an art historian, nor keen to understand each and every subtle explanation in this neatly written book. Nevertheless this reading experience is as close to as being physically at the Tate exhibition with perfectly contemplating his era and prophetic works Blake has illustrated... or should I have said written?

[Jenni Link · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a companion / exhibition catalog to the major Tate Britain Blake exhibit that ended just before COVID shut everything down. Accordingly, its focus is on Blake as a visual artist, with only passing attention paid to his poetry, except in terms of the innovation involved in acid engraving handwritten verse and image on the same plate. Anyway, the book is beautifully done and does a good job of laying out the social, political, economic, and artistic context of the times in which Blake lived and worked. The afterward by Alan Moore is about two and a half pages long, so don't get too excited about that! Very helpful to read and refer to alongside a volume of his complete illuminated books.

[Jeff Howells · Rating 4 out of 5]

The catalogue from the 2019/20 exhibition at Tate Britain from one of Britain’s foremost artists William Blake. His distinctive style and the choices he makes as the subject of his works (often nightmarish) means that even 200 years after his death he continues to fascinate and influence (as the afterword from Alan Moore, perhaps the closest modern figure we have to Blake indicates).

[Thrasymachus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blake’s art is wonderfully imaginative. The disappointing text focuses more on the circumstances of its production than its aesthetic content or place in cultural history.

[?0?0?0 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about the best collection of William Blake's work one's likely to read. It's difficult to name any key work, or any work, that isn't within this tome. Add to Blake's vast output an essay by Alan Moore and what reason is left not to delve into this greatness?

[Harrison King · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully organized and printed collection of Blake’s transcendent art. The commentary was quite bland though, focusing on his socioeconomic status and patrons more so than on Blake’s actual world views on spirituality and mysticism.

[T P Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent catalogue for a fabulous exhibition. The book is handsomely produced and the ratio of text to images is fantastic. The afterword by Alan Moore is good fun. This gives some great insights into Blake, his context and his work. It's also a jolly good read.

[Elliott Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reference book for fans of Blake. Full colour beautiful illustrations, next best thing to owning 100’s of prints!