The Grave, A Poem

Robert Blair|Rudolph Ackermann, London|William Blake|Henry Fuseli|Thomas Bensley|William Blake|Robert Hartley Cromek|Thomas Phillips|William Blake|Luigi Schiavonetti

1813 · Illustrations: etchings · Drawings and Prints

This second edition of "The Grave" was published by Ackermann in 1813. The twelve prints it contains had first been issued by Robert Hartley Comek in 1808, engraved by Schiavonetti. The images are based on watercolors by Blake and proved to be the latter's most popular work with his contemporaries. When Blake received the commission in 1808, he expected to also act as engraver but, Cromek deemed his first plate, "Death's Door," too experimental and gave the job to Schiavonetti. As a result, the project sheds fascinating light on how commercial forces denied a profoundly original artist of the opportunity to translate his own work into print, but also circulated his designs to a wide public.

Artist

Robert Blair|Rudolph Ackermann, London|William Blake|Henry Fuseli|Thomas Bensley|William Blake|Robert Hartley Cromek|Thomas Phillips|William Blake|Luigi Schiavonetti

Date

1813

Medium

Illustrations: etchings

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Michael E. Hall Jr., 2021