William Blake was one of the most significant figures of the Romantic era. An artist and poet of outstanding originality, Blake's work gave powerful expression to his own visionary universe, as well as to those of authors such as Milton and Dante. Imagination was of paramount importance to Blake: he believed art must proceed from inner visions and not from the empirical observation of nature.Sumptuously illustrated, this beautiful volume presents the National Gallery of Victoria's Blake holdings, which include illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy, Milton's Paradise Lost and The Book of Job, among other works. It celebrates a creative genius who, through his watercolours, prints and illustrated books, created some of the most compelling and original works of his time.