Divine Images: The Life and Work of William Blake

by Jason Whittaker

Although relatively obscure during his lifetime, William Blake has become one of the most popular English artists and writers, through poems such as “The Tyger” and “Jerusalem,” and images including The Ancient of Days . Less well-known is Blake’s radical religious and political temperament and that his visionary art was created to express a personal mythology that sought to recreate an entirely new approach to philosophy and art. This book examines both Blake’s visual and poetic work over his long career, from early engravings and poems to his final illustrations to Dante and the Book of Job. Divine Images further explores Blake’s immense popular appeal and influence after his death, offering an inspirational look at a pioneering figure.

Genres: Biography, Art, Poetry

352 pages, Hardcover

Published April 29, 2021

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although Blake died in difficult circumstances, his art lived on. The legacy was felt by many diverse artists: Whitman, Yeats, Ginsberg, Kerouac, to name a few. I think it is important to note what the title of this book means. The Divine Images were the other half, so to speak, of Blake’s art. Whitaker, even if not expressly apparent, seeks to revive appreciation of Blake’s visual art. When I studied Blake in college, the teaching of him was limited to the short lyrics. He stood as part of the Romantics, but was also an outsider to the Romantics. Perhaps a precursor that they never acknowledged. So it was helpful to me to learn about the long works, as difficult as they are.