William Blake: The Complete Illuminated Books
by William Blake
Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of this book.
discuss this book
There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »
friend reviews (0)
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
lists with this book
Where's the love? Add this book to your favorite list.
other reviews (showing 1-20 of 283)
recommends it for:
devotees & students
PRETTY pictures. And wonderful pictures. And awful pictures. I mean that in the clearest origin of the words: awe full and wonder full, ok? For my personal study of how I am not able to draw, or perhaps might alter what I have done already, like a touchstone, since it's impossible to imitate; therefore infallible. The first hippie. I wouldn't read Blake unless I had to for a grade. I could look at the pictures all day, though, till the pastel and tortured teenage notebook aspects start t...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in June, 2008
Blake is insane, that's for sure. He leaps back and forth over the line of genius/madman like no one else. The illuminated books are intense. Reading his works in his own handwriting coupled with his illustrations gives them a great and unique power. He creates an entire mythical world in these works, much of which is tricky to wrap one's brain around, but I enjoyed trying.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 1999
William Blake might be the most profound artist who ever lived. He wrote poems and painted paintings, and actually printed his own books with a copper plate engraving process he invented, then hand colored them as well. His views on g-d are brilliant and original. He fully believed in direct experience. This is every illuminated Blake page.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
"Lo! to the vault of paved heaven, with sorrow fraught thy notes are driven, they strike the ear of night, make weep the eyes of day, they make mad roaring winds, and with tempests play." The combination of Blake's vivid, manic poems and watercolors is a multimedia extravaganza. Gesamtkunstwerk 4-ever!
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Has a copy to sell/swap
—
Read in February, 1998
O Rose, thou art sick!
The invisible worm
That flies in the night,
In the howling storm,
Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy:
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.
One of my favorite poems in the world. What would life be without the Romantics? I shudder to think.
The invisible worm
That flies in the night,
In the howling storm,
Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy:
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.
One of my favorite poems in the world. What would life be without the Romantics? I shudder to think.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2005
Blake isn't my favorite Romantic, but this is a stunningly beautiful collection of his illuminated manuscripts. It's definitely worth a look if you're interested, and worth owning if you're a Romantic(ist)-type person.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
