Ill Will
Painter, print-maker, poet, and philosopher, William Blake was seen as a madman and was overlooked among his contemporaries for his eccentric and quirky nature. Blake was devoutly christian and incredibly individualist. He used his full imagination and religious symbolism throughout his work as he hated materialism and rationalism. He would condemn Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon, and John Locke for their “sterileness.”
The Ancient of Days is a great example of William Blake’s use of obscure religious imagery. The name “The Ancient of Days” is straight from the Book of Daniel. The bearded figure that is depicted is named “Urizen.” This was considered one of Blake’s best work by his early critics and he would go on to make many versions of it.
Nebuchadnezzar is not a painting, but a print! It portrays Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar’s descent into madness as he is on all fours eating grass like oxen. I personally think that he had made Nebuchadnezzar visually similar to Urizen on purpose.
Capaneus the Blasphemer is a depiction in watercolour from Dante’s Inferno. Dante and Virgil come across Capaneus in the third ring of the seventh circle of hell. Capaneus had committed violence against god as he was one of the seven kings who besieged Thebes.
The Great Red Dragon and the Beast from the Sea is from a series of watercolour paintings based on the Book of Revelations. Here we see Blake’s imagination running full force. This painting looks as if it could have come from a fantasy book today.
The Ghost of a Flea is a miniature painting done with a mix of tempera and gold. William Blake was said to have had a spiritual vision of a flea. The flea told Blake that they inhabit the hearts of men who were “in nature, bloodthirsty to excess.”
Looking at all of William Blake’s works, I really resonate with his internal focus on painting what he imagined. Much like Goya.
Honorable Mention
William Holman Hunt
Honore Daumier
Sources
- http://www.william-blake.org/biography.html
- https://artuk.org/discover/artists/blake-william-17571827?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjM3G35i-5QIVah6tBh1qqwETEAAYASAAEgJFkPD_BwE
- https://www.theartstory.org/artist/blake-william/
- https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/nov/21/the-10-best-works-by-william-blake