William Blake's Printed Paintings: Methods, Origins, Meanings

An in-depth examination of William Blake&;s glorious and acclaimed series of twelve monoprints Among William Blake&;s (1757&;1827) most widely recognized and highly regarded works as an artist are twelve color printed drawings, or monoprints, conceived and executed in 1795. This book investigates these masterworks, explaining Blake&;s technique&;one he essentially reinvented, unaware of 17th-century precursors&;to show that these works were produced as paintings, and played a crucial role in Blake&;s development as a painter. Using material and historical analyses, Joseph Viscomi argues that the monoprints were created as autonomous paintings rather than as illustrations for Blake&;s books with an intended viewing order. Enlivened with bountiful illustrations, the text approaches the works within the context of their time, not divorced from ideas expressed in Blake&;s writings but not illustrative of or determined by those writings.

An in-depth examination of William Blake&;s glorious and acclaimed series of twelve monoprints