William Blake's illustrations for Dante's Divine comedy: a study of the engravings, pencil sketches and watercolors

Abstract

"William Blake's series of engraved illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy were his last major project and a summation of his religious and artistic beliefs. The series includes seven engravings and 102 unique works in various stages of completion. This book compares the two men's theological and artistic views and analyzes in detail the meaning of these works"--

Contents

Preface -- Part I: Blake, his masters and rivals: Why did Blake illustrate The Divine Comedy? ; View of Blake's Dante, past and present -- Part II: English Dante: The Comedy reaches England ; The making of Blake's illustrations -- Part III: Blake's criticism of Dante: Marginal note to Boyd ; Remarks on the illustration to Hell, canto 4 ; "He could never have builded Dantes hell" ; States, not people -- Part IV: The illustrations: Hell ; Purgatory ; Heaven -- Conclusion.