Published 02/07/2009
Poet, printmaker, visionary, the British artist William Blake (1757-1827) made work that is both profoundly personal and universal.
There is now the opportunity to visit a recreation of his first and only solo exhibition at Tate Britain. Originally shown in a dimly lit, small room above a shop in Soho in 1809, the reconstructed exhibition features nine of the works originally shown together exactly 200 years ago. Two pictures from the show, Jacob's Ladder and Christ in the Sepulchre are illustrated here.
Critical reception His artistic endeavors in many cases espoused a sexual and imaginative freedom which particularly resonated in the 1960s. Among the artists, poets and musicians said to be significantly influenced by him are Bob Dylan and The Doors. Over 800 images of Blake's paintings, illustrations and poems can be accessed, downloaded and licensed through the Bridgeman website.
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