William Blake (1757-1827), hailed as 'the glorious luminary' by William Rossetti, is one of the great mystics in the history of Western art. His hallucinatory paintings, watercolours and, in particular, the illustrations he made for his books of poetry are instantly recognisable, and have inspired generations of artists in his wake. Although he was largely ignored by his contemporaries, or de rided as mad, a number of perceptive critics and commentators took great interest in both the man and his work. This volume brings together some of the most illuminating writings by people who knew Blake, and brings this astonishing visionary to life. They include the frank appraisal by the hugely percep tive diarist Crabb Robinson, never before published in full in English, and the first full biography by Blake's friend and fellow artist John Thomas Smith, as well as Alexander Gilchrist's Preliminary, whihc heralded the arrival of Blake in the 19th Century.

One of the most visible, popular, and significant artists of his generation, William Hogarth (1697-1764) is best known for his acerbic, strongly moralising works, which were mass-produced and widely disseminated as prints during his lifetime. This volume is a fascinating look into the notorious English satirical artist's life, presenting Anecdotes of William Hogarth, Written by Himself-a collection of autobiographical vignettes supplemented with short texts and essays written by his contemporaries, first published in 1785.

First published in 1999, this volume examines antiquarianism which had its roots in Renaissance thought and was a popular intellectual and cultural pursuit throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The antiquarian work of collecting, compiling and presenting material which exposed the past was seminal to the formation of social and national identities. These essays evaluate the cultural and poltical implications of antiquarianism in the period 1700-1850. The volume also considers how the antiquarians laid the foundations of later museum culture and the discipline of history. With a preface by Stephen Bann and introduced by Martin Myrone and Lucy Peltz, Producing the Past has contributions from Stephen Bending, Alexandrina Buchanan, Susan A. Crane, David Haycock, Maria Grazia Lolla, Heather MacLennan, Martin Myrone, Lucy Peltz, Annegret Pelz, Sam Smiles and Johann Reusch.

First published in 1999, this volume examines antiquarianism which had its roots in Renaissance thought and was a popular intellectual and cultural pursuit throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The antiquarian work of collecting, compiling and presenting material which exposed the past was seminal to the formation of social and national identities. These essays evaluate the cultural and poltical implications of antiquarianism in the period 1700-1850. The volume also considers how the antiquarians laid the foundations of later museum culture and the discipline of history. With a preface by Stephen Bann and introduced by Martin Myrone and Lucy Peltz, Producing the Past has contributions from Stephen Bending, Alexandrina Buchanan, Susan A. Crane, David Haycock, Maria Grazia Lolla, Heather MacLennan, Martin Myrone, Lucy Peltz, Annegret Pelz, Sam Smiles and Johann Reusch.