Songs of Innocence and of Experience

(Hardback)

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Description

A beautifully and faithfully reissued edition of William Blake's revolutionary publication Songs of Innocence and of Experience, a rare and wonderful collection of poetry from one of Britain's most important artists.

Widely recognised as a masterpiece of English literature, Songs of Innocence and of Experience also occupies a key position in the history of Western art. This authentic and unique edition of the work allows William Blake to communicate with his readers as he intended, reproducing his own illumination and lettering from the finest existing example of the original work. In this way, readers can experience the mystery and beauty of Blake's poems as he first created them, discovering for themselves the intricate web of symbol and meaning that connects word and image.

Each poem is accompanied by a literal transcription, and the volume is introduced by the renowned historian and critic, Richard Holmes. This beautiful edition of Songs of Innocence and of Experience is both essential for those familiar with Blake's work and also an ideal way into his world for those encountering him for the first time.

Author Bio

William Blake (17571827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake has become a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age. Apprentice to a master engraver, Blake studied at the Royal Academy under the guidance of Joshua Reynolds, before later engraving and publishing Songs of Innocence in 1789 and the contrasting Songs of Experience in 1794.