Text as illustration Nov 17, 2007
Gray takes us back to the renaissance tradition (revived by one of his heroes, William Blake) of opening the reader's route into a text through an allegorical illustration. Ambitious works - the King James Bible, Ben Jonson's writings, Robert Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy - laid out their topics in emblematic form. (Guardian Unlimited -- Books)
A castle in the air in London Nov 16, 2007
After they had their fourth child, Lucy Musgrave and Zad Rogers realized they had outgrown their four-bedroom, 1,100-square-foot apartment in a central London high-rise. They ended up building a two-story glass cube atop a friend's apartment. (International Herald Tribune)
Donors help National Gallery buy third Mueck sculpture Nov 15, 2007
Eight recently discovered watercolours by British Romantic poet and artist William Blake are being shown publicly for the first time by Tate Britain in London. Steven Spielberg will add the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Cecil B. DeMille Award to his collection of lifetime achievement honours. (CBC Montreal)
The Rosenbach and The Mutter: A Perfect Pair Oct 19, 2007
-- James Joyce's manuscript of Ulysses -- Paintings by Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, and William Blake. -- Lewis Carroll's rarest photographs, books and letters. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
UK explores model to revive community life Sep 12, 2007
The topic is highly sensitive in a country that likes to see itself as what poet and artist William Blake called a "green and pleasant land". The UK has been here before - after World War 2, when the government built several new towns around London to ease housing shortages exacerbated by Adolf Hitler's blitz bombings - places such as Crawley and Basildon. (Business Report, South Africa)
Britain plans new wave of home building Sep 11, 2007
Some building on this "Green Belt" is unavoidable, they say: the topic is highly sensitive in a country which likes to see itself as what poet and artist William Blake called a "green and pleasant land.". Britain has been here before. (International Herald Tribune -- Money Report)
Jug Suraiya: Status Co Sep 2, 2007
William Blake told it like it was when he wrote: 'Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,/ And Eternity in an hour. The poor sap had just been to a Committee meeting. (India Times, India)
British Invasion: A massive gift of English paintings adds a new dimension to the Clark Jul 28, 2007
And none of the 21 engravings by William Blake or 33 mezzotints by David Lucas are on display. "It happened very quickly, so we put the 54 works on view to give a sense of how rich and wonderful the collection is," says Rand. (Hillsdale Independent, NY)
What CEO's book collections say about them Jul 21, 2007
Until recently when Steven Jobs of Apple sold his collection, he reportedly had an "inexhaustible interest" in the books of William Blake - the mad visionary 18th-century mystic poet and artist. Perhaps future historians will track down Jobs's Blake library to trace the inspiration for Pixar and the grail-like appeal of the iPhone. (International Herald Tribune)
Paul Nash and Yves Tanguy Jul 9, 2007
He painted such places of vital and spiritual inspiration repeatedly and fancied himself as following the tradition of mystic William Blake. His harsh landscapes from his experience in the wars continue to give a lasting impression. (Suite101.com)
William Blake Jul 8, 2007
Celebrated 18th-Century Romantic Painter, Poet, and Visionary. Though shunned and isolated in his own time, today he is celebrated as a revolutionary and mystic with a strong sense of personal vision. (Suite101.com)
Made in China Jun 24, 2007
NEW YORK -- At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, William Blake wrote of the "dark satanic mills" that had begun to choke England's verdant pastures. Two centuries later, the scale of global industry has far superseded anything Blake could have imagined. (Boston Globe)
WILLIAM BLAKE 1757 1827 Jun 17, 2007
WILLIAM BLAKE 1757 1827: Engraver, poet and mystic - one of Englands most important Artists ... WILLIAM BLAKE 1757 1827 ... WILLIAM BLAKE 1757 1827. (Suite101.com)
In Praise of Difficult Poetry: Apr 24, 2007
When a person says accusingly that he can't understand Eliot, his tone implies that most of his happiest hours are spent at the fireside among worn copies of the Agamemnon, Phdre, and the Symbolic Books of William Blake. To update Jarrell: When a person says accusingly that he can't understand contemporary poetry, his tone implies that most of his happiest hours are spent at the fireside reading Eliot's "Four Quartets" or "The Waste Land.". (Slate)
It's time to sing about spring Apr 15, 2007
Poetry for Young People: William Blake, edited by John Maynard, illustrations by Alessandra Cimatoribus (Sterling, $14. 95, 48 pages, ages 8 to 12): Maynard has compiled a solid collection of poetry penned by the great Romantic artist of many talents, William Blake (1757-1827), and he supplies a cohesive background of a man who excelled as writer, artist, wood engraver, and maker of exquisite books. (Orlando Sentinel -- Entertainment)
Concept of Jacobs Ladder Mar 31, 2007
The ladder itself was often used to point toward the direction of "The One." It became easily recognizable in manuscripts, but was also a popular subject matter for artists such as William Blake. Blake, a mystic, illustrated several examples of Jacob s Ladder through vivid paintings. (Suite101.com)
Page turners: 'Burning Bright' Mar 30, 2007
The author of 'Girl With a Pearl Earring' takes a 'Beethoven Lives Upstairs' approach to William Blake in her latest novel ... "Burning Bright" also hews to her winning recipe: Chevalier brilliantly re-creates Georgian London, specifically Lambeth, home of poet, engraver, and radical William Blake. (Christian Science Monitor)
The real stars of these books Mar 29, 2007
Historical figure: English poet/artist William Blake ... Author Tracy Chevalier houses her characters in Burning Bright right next door to English poet and artist William Blake. (USA Today -- Life)
The wonderful world of Disney's dark inspirations Mar 11, 2007
The horned behemoth who haunts Bald Mountain, in Fantasia, is revealed as the progeny of William Blake, Albrecht Durer and Kley, as well as the cinematic vision of Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (specifically, his 1926 film, Faust), European symbolist sculpture, and the Germanic fantasy of Richard Riemerschmid, whose 1897 canvas, Ghostly Clouds II, features a swirl of interlocking hollow-eyed wraiths. Tinkerbell, of course, has behind her an entire flotilla of fairy folk, among them the radiant,... (Globe and Mail)
The invisible worm Mar 3, 2007
Despite their childlike simplicity, William Blake's Songs of Experience, with their revolutionary undertones, contain some of the most subversive lines in English poetry, argues Tom Paulin ... Tom Paulin will be discussing Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience as part of Radio 3's William Blake series on March 5-8 at 11pm. (Guardian Unlimited -- Books)
A beautiful mind Feb 11, 2007
Maybe if you read all the deep thinkers that his canvases identify as sources of inspiration -- William Blake, J.W. Goethe , Teilhard de Chardin , Carl Jung , the futurist Buckminster Fuller , the scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla, and dozens more -- and studied Laffoley's pictures for a few years, it would all make sense. But who has time for that. (Boston Globe)
- David McKie Feb 8, 2007
Elsewhere we shall hear quite a lot about WH Auden, Laurence Olivier, John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn, all of whom took their first breaths in 1907, Humphrey Bogart (died 1957), and William Blake (born 1757). Whether born at home or abroad, great artistic heroes are invariably accorded the anniversary tributes that they deserve. (Guardian Unlimited)
William Blake's 'Tyger' notebook on show Jan 12, 2007
LONDON (AP) -- The British Library has put on display the notebook in which William Blake wrote one of his most famous poems, "The Tyger," to mark the 250th anniversary year of the English poet and artist's birth ... "The achievements of William Blake were largely unrecognized in his own lifetime, but his creative legacy lives on," the British Library said in a statement ... The exhibition, "William Blake: Under the Influence," runs until March 21. (The Advocate -- Entertainment)
Redemption song Dec 22, 2006
The Guyanese-born novelist and poet David Dabydeen sees him as heir to a "tradition of mystical and visionary writing, from the Gnostics to William Blake". Wordsworth, says Dabydeen, "thought Blake 'mad, obscure and incoherent'. Harris is trying to explore the language of the unconscious - dream states and parallel universes that are only partially glimpsed." Others regard him as a South American novelist more akin to Gabriel Garc;a M;rquez or Alejo Carpentier than to writers of the anglophone... (Guardian Unlimited -- Books)
Indian rhapsody Oct 15, 2006
Wisdom,' William Blake prophetically wrote, 'is sold in the desolate market where none come to buy. I ask our guide how long this might take and his answer is surprisingly optimistic. (Guardian Unlimited)
Life in the slow lane | Oct 14, 2006
Inspired by biblical texts, the poetry of Omar Khayyam, and the works of William Blake, 'Miss Helen' set out to "bring colour into her life" by creating a home from her imagination, combining magnificent cement statues with stained glass creations. Today, the Owl House is a national monument and her artwork, viewed with derision, embarrassment and suspicion while she was alive, has become Nieu- Bethesda's most prized possession. (iAfrica.com)
How the West was Won Oct 11, 2006
"I've led a pretty ordinary life," he says, "much of which has happened in my head. I've always been a great admirer of William Blake a wonderful writer and a wonderful artist who combined his talents to maximum effect. Since I don't paint, I thought using postcards of some importance to me might be the next-best alternative.". A little over 6'2", with broad shoulders, red hair, and matching full beard, the 54-year-old Sutin radiates a robustness rarely encountered among middle-aged academics.... (City Pages)
Antiques in Paris Sep 16, 2006
The hooked beak and the enormous round eye would have appealed to William Blake in one of his more ghoulish moments. Throughout the fair, extraordinary works leap to the eye thanks to the evident determination of the exhibitors to come out all guns blazing. (International Herald Tribune)
Discontent type one at work for you Sep 4, 2006
William Blake: "Eternity is in love with the productions of time.". Franz Kafka: "Even the merest gesture is holy if it is filled with faith.". (Toronto Star -- Arts)
Outback image lights up Blake Prize Sep 3, 2006
"The number of artists entering for the $15,000 Blake Prize, named for the poet William Blake who believed that "all religions are one", is rising. This year, 360 artists entered and 74 were selected for the final exhibition.Since 1951, the Blake Society has awarded an annual prize for a work of art with a religious or spiritual theme. Last year's prize was hosted by the Australian Catholic University.SOURCELINKS (not necessarily endorsed by Church Resources)ARCHIVE 1 Sep 2006. (CathNews)
Blake winner mourns a spiritual wilderness Aug 31, 2006
The former Archibald winner's painting spoke of the human condition, its transience and spiritual power, said the judges of the prize, named for the English poet William Blake, who believed "all religions are one". But it is not a religious devotional work, and Macleod was so nervous about questions of its spiritual dimensions he left the painting untitled. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Celebrated artist to show in Paris Aug 11, 2006
He defined the term as "the rare ability to see mental images as if they are suspended outside the head, so they can be inspected like solid figures by shifting one's gaze from one side to the other." According to one source, British artist William Blake exhibited this ability. "My inspirations ar friends, the people I meet," January said. (Easton Courier, CT)
- Jonathan Jones: If you like Ron Mueck, you need to get out more Aug 9, 2006
And although Mueck's technique is of our time - he trained in puppetry, including at Jim Henson's Creature Shop, and has taken the lifelike modelling techniques used in cinema to the gallery - only the most hidebound snob could fail to recognise that he is using models to achieve what sculptors of the past set out to do: to animate and dramatise the beauty and pity of what William Blake called "the human form divine". Let me reiterate, in case I see the previous paragraph quoted somewhere, that... (Guardian Unlimited)
The book's the thing Jul 13, 2006
Among English literary texts, the works of another author-artist, William Blake, can command huge prices. In 1989, a first edition of his Songs of Innocence and Experience was sold for well over $1m. (Guardian Unlimited -- Books)
The sky's no limit Jul 8, 2006
As a new exhibition explores how artists - from William Blake to John Cage - have portrayed visions of the universe, science-fiction writer Brian Aldiss speculates on civilisations of the future. Saturday July 8, 2006. (Guardian Unlimited)
- Simon Jenkins Jun 23, 2006
In February drawings by William Blake went abroad. The Burgher of Delft by Steen and works by Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Reynolds and Titian were lost two years ago. (Guardian Unlimited)
- Simon Hattenstone: I'm addicted to the World Cup Jun 21, 2006
Even as an atheist, I find the words appropriate - because, just like the poet and artist William Blake, my God resides within. "God grant me the serenity to accept the results I cannot change, Courage to change those I can, And the wisdom to know the difference". (Guardian Unlimited -- Football)
Alentejo Blue Jun 3, 2006
His wife, Chrissie, has a brief, unsatisfactory affair with a writer named Harry Stanton, an unpleasant character, who has come to Mamarrosa to find a refuge where he might finish his magnum opus on William Blake. Their teenage daughter Ruby - she of the clumsy, old-fashioned hearing-aid - manages to get herself pregnant in a country where abortions remain outlawed. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Bee Gees get top songwriting honour at Novello awards May 26, 2006
"I used to go to school and sing hymns. I'm not saying people from Croatia or Afghanistan should sing songs by William Blake; I'm not suggesting morris dancing in the mosque," said Davies, whose songs such as The Village Green Preservation Society and Waterloo Sunset have long been considered quintessentially English. "But it would be interesting for people to realise we have a culture here, too.". (Guardian Unlimited)
UVM celebrates book maker and unconventional book form May 7, 2006
Gallagher sees William Blake as one of the original artists' book maker. "Because he had radical ideas and he couldn't find a publisher for his work. So he decided to self publish. And he printed them himself. He came up with a method of relief engraving that he did and illumination, self-colored, and did the bindings," Gallagher said. (WCAX.com, VT)
Art: Louvre leads bidding for lost Blake work May 3, 2006
art In an example of the unprecedented wave of speculation that is carrying the art market, Sotheby's on Tuesday sold 11 watercolors by William Blake for a total of $7. 1 million. (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
Art worth reading Apr 20, 2006
William Blake s engraving The Canterbury Pilgrims details every character from Chaucer s Canterbury Tales, faithfully depicting their respective personalities ... William Blake s engraving The Canterbury Pilgrims details every character from Chaucer s Canterbury Tales, faithfully depicting their respective personalities. (The Ithacan Online, NY)
Sotheby's Holdings, Inc. Announces 2005 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results Mar 8, 2006
" Year to Date 2006 Sales Worldwide sales to date have been exceptional, highlighted by the Impressionist and Contemporary sales in London and Old Master Paintings sales in New York. The London Impressionist and Modern Art sales led the market last month with a total of $155.9 million, up 50% from the prior year, with the evening sale recording its highest total ever for an Impressionist sale at Sotheby's London. The top lot of the sale was the rare Tahitian work Deux Femmes by Paul Gauguin... (PR Newswire)
Blake paintings to be sold in US Feb 18, 2006
A set of 19 William Blake watercolours will be sold in New York after a bid to keep them in the UK failed. The paintings, made in 1805 to illustrate a Robert Blair poem entitled The Grave, were rediscovered in 2001. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Tate remembers father of the 'Gothic Nightmare' Feb 15, 2006
But not only did Henry Fuseli influence the great visionary painter William Blake, he was also crucial in creating an artistic aesthetic. In a new show at Tate Britain, the Swiss-born painter has finally won his proper place in art history as a pivotal figure of the Gothic style, which dominated British culture from around 1770 to 1830. (Independent)
Muhammad's image subject of art in past Feb 8, 2006
Muhammad has been portrayed in the work of revered Muslim artists and of such Western figures as William Blake, Auguste Rodin and Salvador Dali -- as well as the creators of the cable-TV cartoon series "South Park." None of those depictions aroused the anger seen in reaction to a set of satirical cartoons that appeared in Danish and other European newspapers -- a violent response that continued to roil the Muslim world yesterday. Three Afghans were killed and dozens wounded in a firefight with... (Washington Times)
This Movie Will Kick Your Ass, By Kurt Loder Jan 25, 2006
" There are also classic genre touches (like the Shadow Gallery, V's sumptuously eccentric underground lair), and all kinds of fun cultural references, from the surrealist painter Max Ernst and the poet William Blake to the Velvet Underground and Martha and the Vandellas. A film version of "V for Vendetta" was not a welcome prospect for the brilliant but cranky Alan Moore, however. Previous screen adaptations of the English writer's comics and characters had resulted in movies that ranged from... (MTV -- News)
Eminent Hobbies: You'll never guess what I like to get up to in my spare time... Jan 15, 2006
I think possibly it's rather a characteristic of the English, but certainly our writers - with their rather visionary element - have a form of melancholia - Mary Shelley, William Blake, HG Wells, George Orwell. It's not an impediment to creativity; it rather prompts it. (The Independent, UK)
