William Blakes Universum

Revolution and war in Europe, slavery and exploitation in the European colonies, oppression and reaction in domestic Britain – against this backdrop, William Blake created an astonishing oeuvre that linked his critique of the contemporary world with a vision of universal redemption. Outside of England, his work is still relatively unknown. Nevertheless, Blake was an artist of European significance – with fascinating parallels in German art, which created new world designs in the face of devastating political crises, foremost among them Philipp Otto Runge and Caspar David Friedrich. The catalog presents the groundbreaking dimension of Blake's work and portrays the artist as a true European, despite never having left Britain. William Blake (1757–1827) was an English poet, draftsman, and printer. Born in London, he apprenticed as an engraver and briefly studied at the Royal Academy of Arts. In his time, his highly individual and visionary work was often rejected. Blake's works, which eluded all styles, shaped the connection between image and text, for which he invented relief etching.