Divine Images

an insightful guide to the artistry of William Blake. . . Focusing on how political and religious currents affected Blake’s art, Whittaker shows, in particular, how the idealistic hopes raised by the French Revolution among Blake and his contemporaries led him to imagine how his own society could be liberated from oppressive political structures and social strictures . . . Whittaker also exhibits how Blake’s work as an engraver and printmaker illuminated his poetry . . . Whittaker makes a strong case for why Blake remains “one of the greatest poets and artists ever to have lived in the British Isles.” * Publishers Weekly *
Solid . . . Whittaker’s aim is to render Blake’s complex message understandable to novices. It is a lucid effort . . . Whittaker conveys the essential tenets of Blake’s thought sensibly, and he looks with assurance at his visual brilliance, putting Blake’s pictorial achievement in careful context, placing particular value on the artist’s later work, such as his illustrations of the Book of Job and Dante’s Divine Comedy. He also brings in contemporary critical views of Blake, such as his treatment of racism along with charges of misogyny in his depiction of females. * Arts Fuse *
a superb new book about Blake . . . What makes Divine images such good value for a hardback is its wealth of colour images testifying to Blake’s artistry as painter and printmaker as well as poet. The high quality of the book’s reproductions shows how inseparable his poems are from the illustrations he made for them. * The Prisma *
In this readable and informative volume, Whittaker provides an excellent guide to the art and poetry of William Blake. Whittaker's sustained attention to Blake’s artistic works and methods is helpfully supported by 108 illustrations. Whittaker successfully makes Blake’s work, which is often thought of as challenging and idiosyncratic, understandable and relatable even as he highlights the poet's originality. Whittaker provides apt historical contexts that illuminate Blake’s life and works. Through these contexts, Whittaker also adroitly introduces readers to important critical conversations regarding Blake. Furthermore, Whittaker’s focus throughout on Blake’s religious and political radicalism helps structure the discussion of his life and works. Perhaps most helpful for those unfamiliar with Blake will be Whittaker's careful, clear tracing of the development of Blake’s personal mythological system, which can be daunting even to those familiar with Blake. The final chapter provides a helpful overview of Blake's legacy into the twenty-first century. This book is not only an excellent aid for those new to Blake but also an engaging reintroduction for those already acquainted with his poetry and art . . . Recommended. * Choice *
Jason Whittaker’s Divine Images is a fantastic mix of biography, art criticism and literary engagement which serves as a wonderful introduction to this complex and confusing artist . . . By having a focused and informed eye, and writing through the lens of William Blake’s work, Whittaker has produced a clearsighted and informative, highly readable biography and culturally expansive book. * International Times *
William Blake was influenced by Shakespeare, Milton and the Bible. Divine Images re-familiarises the old and powerful stories, disentangles the themes of the prophetic books and celebrates the ingenuity of the lyric poetry, while contextualising all in the visual and political culture of Blake’s day. Jason Whittaker’s beautifully written book puts Blake’s spirituality and humanism centre stage. He explains what in Blake appealed to the Victorian and Modernist eras and still inspires contemporary artists, writers and musicians. * Sibylle Erle, Reader in English Literature at Bishop Grosseteste University and the author of 'Blake, Lavater, and Physiognomy' *
No one can survive the impossible, irresistible Blake without an introduction. Jason Whittaker’s is superior – readable, knowledgeable, comprehensive, up to date. Highly recommended for anyone trying to follow Blake’s golden thread. * Morris Eaves, Professor of English and Richard L. Turner Professor of Humanities at the University of Rochester and the editor of 'The Cambridge Companion to William Blake' *
Divine Images is the ideal guide for anyone wanting to know the life and works of William Blake – or to return to what they thought they knew. It is excellent both as an introduction to and overview of the historic Blake, exploring his poetry and art in their time and place and his inspiring legacy through the 19th century up to the present day. * Joseph Viscomi, James G. Kenan Distinguished Professor of English Literature, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill *