Artwork

William Blake

William Blake, by Luigi Schiavonetti, ink, 1808
William Blake, by Luigi Schiavonetti, ink, 1808

William Blake is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Luigi Schiavonetti. It dates from 1808 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

This print is a portrait of William Blake, created by Luigi Schiavonetti in 1808 through the etching process.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait depicts William Blake with curly hair and a serious expression, wearing a dark coat and white shirt. The image conveys a sense of introspection, with his hands tucked inside his sleeves.

Technique & Style

The etching technique allowed Schiavonetti to achieve a detailed, sketch-like quality, particularly around Blake's face and hair. The use of acid to carve the design into metal enabled the creation of a printed image with textured lines.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Luigi Schiavonetti

Artist

Luigi Schiavonetti

Luigi Schiavonetti (1765–1810) was an Italian artist, born in Bassano del Grappa.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.