William Blake

William Blake (1757–1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. He was born in London and apprenticed as an engraver, later developing a method of illuminated printing that combined text and image. His poetry often employs visionary and symbolic imagery, addressing themes of innocence, experience, social injustice, and spiritual exploration. Key collections include Songs of Innocence and of Experience, which contrasts the untainted perspective of childhood with the corruption of adult life. In works like The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, he challenged conventional morality and religious orthodoxy, presenting a complex cosmology. His lyrical style is marked by simple yet profound language, rhythmic intensity, and a personal mythological framework. As a visual artist, he created iconic illustrations for his own writings and for works by other authors, such as Dante's Divine Comedy. Although his work was largely overlooked during his lifetime, he is now recognized as a major figure of the Romantic age. His influence extended to later poets, visual artists, and countercultural movements, cementing his place as a visionary creator. He died in London in 1827, leaving a body of work that continues to be studied for its radical imagination and artistic innovation.