William Blake was an English poet, painter and printmaker whose work combined literature, visual art and a distinctive religious imagination. Born in London in 1757, he trained as an engraver and later produced illustrated books in which words and images formed an integrated whole. His early collections included Poetical Sketches and Songs of Innocence, followed by Songs of Experience.

Blake developed his own method of relief etching and used it to publish works including The Marriage of Heaven and Hell and a series of prophetic books. His writing addressed religion, political authority, social inequality and the nature of human perception. He also produced paintings, engravings and illustrations, including designs inspired by the Bible and works by Dante.

Blake received limited recognition during his lifetime and often worked under financial pressure. After his death in 1827, his poetry and art attracted growing attention, and he became an important figure in studies of Romantic literature and British visual culture.