Burning Bright: Meteoric imagery in the works of William Blake, by A. McBeath
The alignment of meteoric imagery and political and spiritual events in Blake’s work
Introduction: Blake’s meteoric imagination
According to old Chinese belief, William Blake (1757– 1827) was cursed, since there is no question he lived in ‘interesting times’. Blake was a visionary English poet and artist. He was fascinated by apocalyptic biblical beliefs and prophecies, and worked elements of these even into artworks commissioned of him to illustrate the texts of other poets.
Raphael, ‘Astronomy’, from the Stanza della Segnatura (1509)
He studied widely in the literature and art of the past. His lifelong artistic heroes were Milton, Raphael and Michelangelo. As a result, his works are suffused with flowing forms and astronomical imagery, including meteors and comets.
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