One of the most exceptional artists of the 1800s

After more than three years, one of the largest exhibitions on William Blake (1757-1827) to date is finally opening: Because of the pandemic, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles had to postpone William Blake: Visionary, but now the more than 100 exhibits are accessible. Blake, an Englishman, was a full-time printmaker, which he did to keep his head above water throughout his life. His real dream was to be recognized as a great artist. He regularly submitted paintings for exhibitions at the Royal Academy of Arts, but his free interpretations of the Bible and Greek mythology met only rejection. Blake's vision was too enigmatic and unusual to find a wide audience. It was not until decades after his death that an initial following formed among the Pre-Raphaelites, and from the mid-20th century Blake was an essential part of popular culture. A large selection of his works will be on view in Los Angeles from October 17, 2023 to January 14, 2024.

Blake was also an avid poet. In 1793, he invented relief etching, which made it possible to emboss text and image on paper in a single step. In the years that followed, he published numerous illuminated books that established his current reputation as one of the most important early novelists. Blake's texts influenced Allen Ginsberg and Bob Dylan, among others, and his paintings are regularly cited in pop culture. One, for example, occupies a prominent place in Thomas Harris's novel Red Dragon (1981) and also inspired the title.