He recovered some of his youthful vision in the 1860s, when he painted rich rustic views lit by the setting sun.
Blake
He started topographic paintings when he returned to London, and during his extended working honeymoon in Italy.
Largely self-taught, he was a precocious painter whose major works started when he was only 20. This covers his early work and time in Shoreham, to 1835.
Financial success in 1846 finally allowed him to concentrate on landscape painting – and to paint many sunsets and harvest scenes.
Almost forgotten now, apart from the help that he gave William Blake, he was the most prominent British landscape painter after Turner’s death.
Tracing Blake’s influence through his friends John Linnell and Samuel Palmer to the likes of Graham Sutherland and Eric Ravilious.
Blake did not exercise his genius and vision in isolation. Here are some paintings by those who influenced him most.
A look back at some of the series and some surprises which you might have missed over the last year.
A wide-ranging selection of appealing and interesting watercolours, covering most of Blake’s career and themes.
Marching armies, a merry-go-round of angels, and a unique ‘springing’ Jesus: four extraordinary paintings from three geniuses of art.
