Tuesday, December 23, 2008

William Blake Update

Recreated: the exhibition that broke William Blake - News, Art - The Independent: "When William Blake began orchestrating his first solo exhibition in London in March 1809, showcasing what he thought were his most important works of art, he hoped the world would instantly hail him as a British Raphael or Michelangelo.

But it was a career turning point of a very different kind. Blake's art show, at his brother's shop in Soho, was a critical flop which precipitated a crisis of confidence. Only one critic turned up to give it a stinking review and even his friends were baffled by the 16 works on show. The opening night was such a blow to Blake's ego that he retreated from public life and became deeply embittered by the state of the art world.

Now, his most ambitious attempt to create a public reputation as a painter will be re-enacted by Tate Britain."

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you want a wonderful rendition of this, find Alan Moore's (of Watchmen fame)and Tim Perkins's prose (Moore's) set to music (Perkins's). It's a wonderful interpretation of Blake's life seen through Moore's brilliant eyes. I was floored when I first heard this. The way that Moore was able to find his own way into Blake's world is simply another testament to his genius.

Best,
Lawrence

P. S. Why do I spend so much time on your blog?

Anonymous said...

Here's a link to a place that has a brief but accurate synopsis of the Moore/Perkins work:

http://www.nthposition.com/angelpassage.php

Best,
Lawrence

Unknown said...

Thanks, Lawrence. Good stuff.

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