The wonderful world of william blake. William Blake – biography and paintings of the artist in the genre of Romanticism, Symbolism – Art Challenge

English poet and artist, mystic and visionary.

William never attended school and was educated at home - he was taught by his mother.

The parents were Protestants and very religious people, so all my life strongBlake's worldview was influenced by the Bible.

Adam and Eve near Abel's body. 1825

William Blake and the British Visionaries

Great architect. 1794

Even as a child, Blake copied Greek scenes from drawings purchased for him by his father. His parents, regretting that he did not go to school, sent him to art lessons. William's early works indicate his familiarity with the work of Ben Jonson and Edmund Spenser. At the same time, he begins to write poetry.

Twister of lovers. 1827

In 1778, Blake entered the Royal Academy of Arts, where he showed himself to be an adherent of the classical style of the era High Renaissance. Blake's first collection of poems, Poetical Sketches, was published in 1783. Subsequently, the poet created several “illuminated manuscripts,” engraving his poems and drawings on a copper plate with his own hands.

William Blake is a prominent representative of the era of romanticism, who introduced huge contribution in the development of English literature of the 19th century. Being not only an original poet, but also a skilled engraver and designer, Blake was not recognized by his contemporaries.

Blake's recognition as a writer came to him much later - already in the 20th century, when in 1966 he published full meeting his writings. Until this moment, only his close friends were connoisseurs and admirers of his talent, who periodically published William’s works at their own expense.

Blake's first book, Poetical Sketches, opened new period in English literature, being the first sign, with the appearance of which the real rise of the poetry of romanticism began in hitherto sleeping England. There was not a trace of mysticism in Poetic Sketches. Thus, the singer in the “Song of Madness” compares himself with “a demon hiding in a cloud,” and this is nothing more than a metaphor, but in the later and purely mystical works of the poet we already read about “a child sitting on a cloud” or about “my Brother John, that evil genius, shrouded in a black cloud and making loud moans."

The next book - the collection "Island in the Moon" - marks the beginning of a mystical period in Blake's work. "Island in the Moon" is a satire on a group of amateurs and slackers who used to gather at the house of Mrs. and Mr. Matthew. At the same time, the book includes several beautiful lyric poems that were not known from other Blake manuscripts. There are other poems in it that were later included by him in the book “Songs of Innocence.”

William Blake died on August 12, 1827, in the midst of his work on the illustrations for The Divine Comedy. His death was sudden and inexplicable.

Blake's poetry contains ideas that will become fundamental to romanticism, although in its contrasts an echo of the rationalism of the previous era is still felt. Blake perceived the world as eternal renewal and movement, which makes his philosophy similar to the ideas of German philosophers romantic period. At the same time, he was able to see only what his imagination revealed. Blake wrote: “The world is the endless vision of Fancy or Imagination.” These words define the foundations of his work. His democracy and humanism were most fully embodied in one of the “Proverbs of Hell”: “The highest act is to put another before yourself.” Blake’s admiration for the possibilities of the human mind is constant: “One thought fills immensity (immenseness). His famous quatrain from “The Prophecies of Innocence” contains almost all the ideas of romanticism:

See eternity in one moment,
Huge world- in a grain of sand,
In a single handful - infinity
And the sky is in the cup of a flower.

An hour and an eternity, a grain of sand and the world, a handful and infinity, a flower and the sky are contrasted. At the same time, “heaven” can also be understood as something standing above the entire universe, as an indication of the Creator. But time, space, man and God are not only opposed by Blake, but also connected, as in German romantics: each individual contains a particle of the universal: just as a grain of sand embodies a particle of infinity, so the essence is reflected in a phenomenon.

Big red dragon and sun wife. 1810

The contrast of Blake's world is especially clearly expressed in the cycles of poems “Songs of Innocence” and “Songs of Experience”. Obviously, it is no coincidence that the first cycle appeared in the year of the French Revolution, and the second in the period of the Jacobin Terror. In the introduction to the first cycle, the child asks to sing a song about a lamb, and the poet writes funny songs so that everyone has a holiday in their souls. This cycle includes the poem "Lamb". Little Lamb, who created you? - the author asks in the first line. His “clothes of delight” and “tender voice” touch the poet. He sees in the lamb (lamb) intimacy with Jesus Christ:

Little Lamb,
I am telling you:
It's named after you
For He calls
Yourself as a Lamb
(Lamb).

Beautiful light images, overshadowed by Jesus, appear in the first cycle. In the introduction to the second cycle one can feel the tension and uncertainty that arose in the world during this period, the author poses a different task, “Tiger” appears in the poems. To a gentle voice and the wondrous clothing of the Lamb is contrasted with the fire personifying the tiger, burning “in the forest of the night”: there it is not only especially bright, but also creates a feeling of horror. The poet again asks the question, who created the night fire? Who had the power to create “terrible symmetry”? The answer remains astonishing: He who created the Lamb created you?

But for the poet the question is resolved: the Creator is able to create the entire universe, full of contradictions. For Blake, the world is one, although it consists of opposites. This idea would become fundamental to Romanticism

Brodsky, Song of Innocence

Blake's most significant lyrical collections are Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794). The most romantic part of Blake’s work is his “Prophetic Books”, written in unrhymed verse (which was later imitated by W. Whitman): the poem “Visions of the Daughters of Albion” (1793), the poems “America” (1793), “Europe” (1794), “ The First Book of Juraizen" (1794), "The Book of Achania" (1795), "The Book of Los" (1795), "The Shafts, or the Four Zoas" (1804), "Milton" (1808), "Jerusalem; emanation of the giant Albion" (1820). Great importance for the development of Blake’s revolutionary romantic views, his work on the poems “ French revolution"(1790) and "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" (1798).“The tyrann-busting theme runs as a menacing leitmotif throughout Blake’s Prophetic Books.

Lullaby. Music and performance: Boris Levi. Poems: William Blake.

The sinister image of Juraizen is significant - a cold, deathly cruel despot who, for the time being, enslaved all living things. The forces of fire, light, freedom—Los, Orc, Fuzon—are rebelling against him.” Blake firmly believed that the people would ultimately win, that Jerusalem would be “built on the green soil of England”—a fair, classless society of the future.

Blake had a significant influence on Western culture XX century. The song "Jerusalem" based on Blake's poems is considered unofficial anthem Great Britain.

The harmony of nature, in his opinion, was only an anticipation of the higher harmony that a holistic and spiritualized personality should create. This conviction also predetermined Blake's creative principles. For romantics, nature is a mirror of the soul, for Blake it is more like a book of symbols. He does not value either the colorfulness of the landscape or its authenticity, just as he does not value psychologism. Everything around him is perceived in the light of spiritual conflicts, and primarily through the prism of the eternal conflict of mechanistic and free vision. In nature, he reveals the same passivity and mechanicalness as in social life. Therefore, ignorance, purity, spiritual purity, naturalness determine the emotional and figurative range of the first part of the cycle - for Blake it is by no means just some kind of lost Paradise. His thought is more complex - perhaps it is most fully conveyed in the image of a lost and found child, which appears in both the “Songs of Ignorance” and the “Songs of Knowledge.”

Couplet. Aphorisms. Selected works

I would sooner take as a model a wise man's mistakes, Than a fool full of victories and successes. He tried to follow the laws all his life - In the end, that fool remained a fool. Murders, as a rule, are committed not in a fit of uncontrollable passions, but out of malice and in completely cold blood.

You should learn humility from the sheep!

To make it easier to cut my hair, Holy Father?

In heaven on earth I suffered enough,

It would be better if I ended up in hell.

A pundit is someone who loves to rant, but is certainly not a simple person. If you sacrifice the particulars, what will happen to the whole?

Neither Greece and Rome, nor Babylon and Egypt stood at the origins of the Arts and Sciences, as is commonly believed; on the contrary, they pursued and destroyed them.

He who is unable to recognize the Truth at first sight will never know it.

Some people will never notice a painting unless it is hanging in a dark corner.

Tyranny is the worst of diseases: all other diseases stem from it.

He slavishly followed the laws - what a fool! And he finally became a slave to the laws.

Only those who follow this path, that is, a creative person, can go astray. And an ordinary person, even if he leads a righteous lifestyle, will never be an Artist. A genius can only manifest himself through his works.

"A friend is a rarity!" - in ancient times they loved to repeat,

And now everyone is friends: there’s nowhere to put them!

Heaven and Hell were born together.

The ability to be surprised and admired is the first step to knowledge, while skepticism and ridicule are the first step to degradation. Anyone who never ascends into the heavenly heights in his thoughts cannot be considered an Artist.

Only the mind can create monsters - the heart is incapable of this. By trying to please people with bad taste, you lose the opportunity to please people with good taste. It is impossible to please all tastes at the same time.

The goal of the wise is clarity, but the fool is silent

The stupid intrigue will confuse him.

It is better to imitate one great master than a hundred third-rate artists.

The less said, the more eloquent it looks.

The most smart thoughts come to the minds of those who never write them down.

There are people who believe that if they do not repeat every day that the sun rises in the east, it will rise in the west.

He who is weak in courage is strong in cunning.

If you try to please your enemies, you may offend your friends. It is impossible to please everyone at once.

Difficulties mobilize, successes relax.

The artist and philosopher William Blake created his works by addressing only future generations. He firmly knew that only his descendants would be able to appreciate his works. And now, at the turn of the 18th century - XIX centuries, will not find recognition among his contemporaries. He turned out to be right: all the secrets of his genius have not yet been revealed.

Life path

William Blake, with all his life, dim in external events, does not give much scope to biographers. He was born in London in 1757 into a poor family of a shopkeeper, and lived there all his life until his death, until he was seventy years old. William Blake received this to the fullest from the care and participation of his relatives, the admiration of a very narrow circle of his admirers and students. For some time he studied the craft of an engraver and subsequently earned money from this. Everyday life, which was led by William Blake, was full of routine and mining. He was engaged in making engravings from other people's originals, much less often from his own. He created illustrations for " The Canterbury Tales"Chaucer, Book of Job. Here is one of the illustrations to Dante's "Whirlwind of Lovers".

This is a powerful and terrible stream that would not occur to the common man in the street, to which the artist did not stoop. Therefore, when William Blake tried to establish himself as an artist, he was faced with a blank wall of misunderstanding. It was only twenty years after his death that he was “discovered” by the Pre-Raphaelites. That world and the diverse creative heritage, which were left by William Blake. His spiritual biography is complex and filled with vivid events.

Poetry

One of the creative tasks that the poet solved throughout his life was the creation of a new mythological system, the so-called Bible of Hell. The most famous and perfect work of its kind is “Songs of Innocence and Experience.” It is pointless to consider each of his poems separately. They are interconnected by many subtle threads and acquire true meaning only in the context of the entire cycle.

Inner experiences

He had decades when he fell silent for long periods of time. This shows his painful and intense spiritual quest. His contemporaries did not understand him, but perhaps that is why his work was focused on his inner vision. And it was macro- and microcosmogonic, bold, fantastic, with an unusual play of lines and a sharp composition. This is how William Blake, whose paintings were not accepted by his contemporaries, amazes us now. He took them from the world he knew or saw before. This is the same Blake who saw infinity in the palm of his hand and eternity in one hour. "Newton" is one of his most famous paintings.

In it, the physicist is represented as the Great Architect of the Universe with one of the Masonic symbols in his hands. William Blake anticipated Dali, who would claim the title of the world's first artist in the field of quantum physics. No, Salvador Dali was too late.

Albion's past

England is ruled by its mythological past, William Blake believed. The paintings are written on the themes of the Celts and Druids, who had special knowledge and myths.

It is the memories of them, according to Blake, that can reveal previously hidden truths.

Illustrations for the Bible

When creating illustrations for the Bible, he does not depict shepherds or the baby Jesus, but sees Satan mystically. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is one of his books written in imitation of the biblical books of prophecy. We see this in his paintings. What William Blake wrote, "Red Dragon" is a series watercolor paintings, created to illustrate the Bible, the book It's Big with seven heads and crowns on them. His tail “swept” a third of the stars from heaven to earth. These paintings depict the dragon in various scenes.

The first painting is “The Great Red Dragon and the Wife Clothed in the Sun.” It is interpreted approximately like this by different theologians. The wife is the Church, the light of Christ, and the sun above her is sacred. In agony, she gives birth to a child, whom the dragon intends to devour. But she manages to escape.

Out of rage, the dragon releases water, which should swallow both his wife and the earth.

He is incredibly scary and confident in his strength.

Some modern views on theology

These horrors can be looked at differently. The Church of Christ was created as a place of Love and Mercy. There was no devil in the original teaching. His idea paradoxically developed and gained strength during the Middle Ages, like the idea of ​​​​Hell to control the souls of the flock. On the one hand, Heaven is a carrot, on the other, Hell is a stick to which the devil pushes a person. Thus, through the efforts of the Church, the Devil acquired extraordinary power. And now it is close to a museum. Few people think seriously about it.

But this in no way detracts from Blake's work. They suggest thinking about what is Good and what is Evil. He was a prophet and foresaw many things, including his own death.

At six o'clock in the evening on the day of his death, Blake felt her, promised his wife that he would always be with her, and died. So what was death for him?

William Blake (eng. William Blake; November 28, 1757, London - August 12, 1827, London) - English poet, artist and engraver. Almost unrecognized during his lifetime, Blake is now considered an important figure in the history of poetry and visual arts romantic era. Despite living in London all his life (except for three years in Felpham), his work embraced both “the body of God” and “human existence itself.”

Although Blake was considered mad by his contemporaries, later critics noted his expressiveness and the philosophical and mystical depth of his work. His paintings and poems have been characterized as romantic, or pre-romantic." A believer in the Bible but opposed to the Church of England (as well as all forms of organized religion in general), Blake was influenced by the ideals of the French and American revolutions. Although he later became disillusioned with many Because of these political beliefs, he maintained a friendly relationship with the political activist Thomas Paine, and was also influenced by the philosopher Emmanuel Swedenborg. Despite all of his influences, Blake's work is difficult to categorize.

The 19th-century writer William Rossetti called him a "glorious luminary", and "a man neither anticipated by predecessors, nor classified by contemporaries, nor superseded by known or supposed successors."

William Blake - English writer, engraver and artist who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Today he is considered one of the most significant creative figures of the romantic era. He was not recognized during his lifetime, but today his contributions are appreciated, and no one considers him crazy anymore. About the life and work of this amazing person we'll talk about it in this article.

William Blake: biography. Childhood

As a child, his father bought drawings with Greek subjects for his son, and the boy quickly became interested in copying them. It was the works of Michelangelo, Raphael, and Durer that introduced him to classical forms. William became more and more interested in painting, and his parents decided to hire an artist for lessons. However, in these classes the boy studied only what he liked, ignoring everything else.

Studies

In 1772, William Blake became a student of James Besyer, a famous engraver. The training ended after 7 years; by this year the aspiring artist was already 21 years old. His training gave him the right to be considered a professional engraver. During this time, he gained invaluable experience by copying Gothic frescoes of London churches, including Westminster Abbey.

In 1779, Blay began his studies at the Royal Academy, located near the Strand. Education was free, but students had to buy their own tools and supplies. Here Blake begins to argue against the "unfinished style fashion artists"(a striking example is the work of Rubens). The young artist himself preferred classical clarity and accuracy early creativity Raphael and Michelangelo.

Marriage

In 1780, when the notorious city riots of London began, Blake, according to eyewitnesses, took part in them and was among those who stormed Newgate prison. Although some biographers of the artist claim that he joined the crowd by accident.

Two years after these events, Blake meets Catherine Boucher, who is destined to become his wife. At this time, the artist is trying to recover from a failed relationship, the end of which was the girl’s refusal to marry him. Blake tells the story of his unrequited love to Catherine, and then asks if his girlfriend feels sorry for him. In response, he hears “yes” and answers, “then I love you.” Their wedding took place at St Mary's Church (Battersea). Katherine was illiterate and put a cross on her marriage certificate instead of a signature. The original of this paper is still kept in the church. The wife will become a support and support for her husband, who will not allow him to give up, despite frequent failures.

In 1783, William Blake published his first collection entitled Poetic Sketches. Poems included in it often include biblical stories and images.

A year after this, the artist’s father dies and William, using inherited money, opens a printing house and begins collaboration with the publisher J. Johnson. This man’s house was a place of constant meetings for the intelligentsia, including dissidents. Blake made acquaintance with many of them.

New impression method

In 1788, William Blake began experimenting with relief etching. The artist is honing a new method, which he will subsequently use to design his books, as well as to illustrate the Bible, his main masterpiece.

In fact, Blake made a real revolution in the field of prints, changing the very process of its production. In addition, the relief etching invented by the artist brought commercial success and fame to its creator.

But in his work, Blake did not limit himself only to this method of engraving and used such popular ones as intaglio.

Problems with the authorities

William Blake, whose poems were less popular during his lifetime than his drawings, moved to Felpham (Sussex) in 1800 with his wife. Shortly before this, the couple gave birth to a girl, who was named Tel, but the child did not survive. Thus, Blake had no heirs.

At the same time, the artist’s relationship with the authorities deteriorates. In 1803, the conflict reaches its climax when Blake gets involved in a fight with soldier John Scofield. After this, William was accused not only of assault, but also of uttering seditious and seditious speeches that discredited the name of the king. Scofield confirmed these accusations. However, the jury found Blake not guilty, and the newspapers called the case fabricated.

In 1804, the artist returned to London and began illustrating “Jerusalem,” his most ambitious work. At this time, he opens his exhibition, where everyone can purchase his versions of illustrations of popular books. But this idea ended in failure - not a single painting was sold.

In 1818 Blake began work on the illustration of the Book of Job. Subsequently, it was these drawings that would delight Ruskin.

Last years and death

William Blake's books are sold with varying success and are not particularly popular among a large circle of readers, although they are admired by individual artists. This situation continued throughout the creator's life.

Blake spent his last years at Fountain Court, continuing to work. Even on the day of his death he was engaged in illustrations for Dante. His wife sat next to him, shedding tears. Noticing this, the artist asked the woman to freeze and painted her portrait, saying that she would forever remain an angel for him. Having finished the drawing, Blake put it aside and began to sing poems and hymns. He died at 6 pm, promising his wife that he would stay with her forever. The artist was buried in the same cemetery where his parents found peace. It was a place called Bunhill Fields.

After her husband's death, Catherine became a housekeeper in the Tatem household. It was this person who, after her death, received many of Blake's manuscripts and drawings. The owner of the house considered some of them heretical and burned them.

Today exact location The artist’s burial is unknown, since the cemetery was leveled and only a lawn remained in its place. Nevertheless, it became a place of pilgrimage for fans and admirers of Blake’s talent.

Creation

William Blake has always had a great penchant for mythologizing. His creativity in early period appealed to biblical images, but gradually he began to move away from them, creating his own myths and symbols.

At the same time, the early works of the poet and artist literally breathe rebellion and rebellion against basic religious tenets. A striking example This is the “Marriage of Heaven and Hell”, where Satan appears as the main character struggling with the authority of God. Gradually, humanistic ideas, as well as themes of redemption, self-sacrifice, and forgiveness, begin to dominate in Blake’s works. Nevertheless, rejection of the authoritarianism of traditional religion remains.

Such views could not please his God-fearing contemporaries, which is why the work of the poet and artist enjoyed so little popularity.

Works

Despite public rejection, William Blake continues to work. His works are gradually being published. The most prolific year in this regard is 1793, when 5 of his books were published at once: “The Gates of Paradise”, “America”, “Visions of the Daughters of Albion”, “Europe”, “The Book of Urizen”. Later, the collection “Songs of Experience” appears. On the pages of these books, the poet conducts an active debate with the Almighty, deviating from religious dogma, but actively turning to biblical symbols. It is not surprising that these works did not increase his fans. But failure did not stop the poet, and Blake continued to write.

He made illustrations for all his works himself, using the developed method. These engravings would later become no less popular than the poet’s poems, but Blake would not be destined to see this.

"Comedy" by Dante

In 1826, the artist received a large order for a series of engravings for the new edition of The Divine Comedy. Unfortunately, due to his death in 1827, Blake was unable to complete the work. In just a year, he managed to make several watercolor sketches and 7 prints. However, even they aroused admiration and were named one of greatest achievements artist.

It is worth noting that these illustrations are not a literal depiction of what is happening in the poem. Rather, they critically rethink these events, allowing us to see new moral and spiritual sides of the Comedy.

Because the project was not completed, Blake's final design remained unknown. And according to most researchers, some conclusions about this can be drawn only by familiarizing yourself with the entire series of drawings.

The created prints and sketches depict only the first part of the Comedy, dedicated to hell. The artist did not have time to begin illustrating purgatory and paradise. This circumstance makes it even more difficult to understand the meaning of all creation. Nevertheless, it was the work on “ Divine Comedy"brought Blake his greatest fame and glorified him as an artist.

An unusual and amazing personality

The poet William Blake attracts attention not only for his unusual creativity, but also very mysterious person. The surprising thing is that he cannot be called a mature artist, or poet, or philosopher. The fact is that his painting goes against the generally accepted canon, poetry violates norms in English, and philosophy is inconsistent and not always logical.

However, all this together created a grandiose and majestic creator. Blake tirelessly tried to comprehend the laws of the universe, as well as to understand and describe spirituality. His works are a combination of poetry, philosophy and drawing. This in human art never met.

But this one unusual way self-expression allowed the writer to most clearly and clearly express his view of the world, religion and man. Blake's works indicate that he was endowed with a very subtle and deep inner world. His perception of reality set him apart from his contemporaries. He subtly felt this world and tried to convey this feeling to those around him. Unfortunately, what made him a great creator made it difficult for those around him to understand him. Blake's views were so different that they simply could not understand and accept him.

William Blake: quotes

Here are some of the writer's most famous statements:

• “The despicable needs contempt like a fish needs water, like a bird needs air.”
• “Drive the plow and cart over the bones of the dead.”
• “The nakedness of woman was created by God.”
• “Whoever wishes, but does not act, creates a plague.”

William Blake (eng. William Blake; November 28, 1757, London - August 12, 1827, London) - English poet, artist and engraver. Almost unrecognized during his lifetime, Blake is now considered an important figure in the history of poetry and visual art of the Romantic era. Lived all his life in London (except three years in Felpham).

Although Blake was considered mad by his contemporaries, later critics noted his expressiveness and the philosophical and mystical depth of his work. His paintings and poems have been characterized as romantic, or pre-romantic. A believer in the Bible but opposed to the Church of England (as well as all forms of organized religion in general), Blake was influenced by the ideals of the French and American Revolutions. Although he later became disillusioned with many of these political beliefs, he maintained a friendly relationship with the political activist Thomas Paine; was also influenced by the philosopher Emmanuel Swedenborg. Despite all his influences, Blake's work is difficult to categorize. The 19th century writer William Rossetti called him "a glorious luminary" and "a man neither anticipated by his predecessors, nor classified by his contemporaries, nor superseded by known or supposed successors."

Blake was born on November 28, 1757 in London, in the Soho area, in the family of shopkeeper James Blake. He was the third of seven children, two of whom died in infancy. William attended school only until the age of ten, learning there only to write and read, and was educated at home - he was taught by his mother Catherine Blake (nee Wright). Although his parents were Protestant Dissenters from the Moravian Church, they baptized William in the Anglican Church of St. James in Piccadilly. Throughout his life, Blake's worldview was strongly influenced by the Bible. Throughout his life, she would remain his main source of inspiration.

Even as a child, Blake became interested in copying Greek scenes from drawings that his father acquired for him. The works of Raphael, Michelangelo, Maarten van Hemsker and Albrecht Dürer instilled in him a love of classical forms. Judging by the number of paintings and well-bound books that William's parents bought for William, it can be assumed that the family was, at least for some time, prosperous. Gradually this activity grew into a passion for painting. His parents, knowing the boy's hot temperament and regretting that he did not go to school, sent him to painting lessons. True, during these studies Blake studied only what was interesting to him. His early works show familiarity with the works of Ben Jonson and Edmund Spenser.

On August 4, 1772, Blake entered into a 7-year apprenticeship in the art of engraving with engraver James Besyer of Great Queen Street. By the end of this period, by the time he was 21, he had become a professional engraver. There is no record of any serious quarrel or conflict between the two, but Blake's biographer Peter Ackroyd notes that Blake would later add Basyer's name to his list of artistic rivals, but would soon cross him out. The reason for this was that Besayer’s engraving style was already considered old-fashioned at that time, and teaching his student in this way could not in the best possible way influence the skills he acquires in this work, as well as future recognition. And Blake understood this.

In his third year of study, Basyer sent Blake to London to copy picturesque frescoes of Gothic churches (it is quite possible that this task was given to Blake in order to exacerbate the conflict between him and James Parker, another student of Basyer). Blake's experiences while working at Westminster Abbey helped shape his own artistic style and ideas. The abbey of that time was decorated with military armor and equipment, images of funeral dirges, as well as numerous wax figures. Ackroyd notes that "the most strong impressions were created by alternating bright colors, sometimes appearing, sometimes seeming to disappear.” Blake spent long evenings sketching the abbey. One day he was interrupted by children from Westminster School, one of whom tortured Blake so much that James forcefully pushed him off the scaffolding to the ground, where he fell with a terrible crash. Blake had visions in the abbey, for example, he saw Christ and the apostles, a church procession with monks and priests, during which he imagined the singing of psalms and chorales.

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