William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. During his lifetime he was pretty much ignored, but his work is today considered significant in the history of both poetry and the visual arts. He was voted 38th in a poll of the 100 Greatest Britons organized by the BBC in 2002 .
He was born in London, England on 28 November 1757, to a middle-class family. He never attended school, being educated at home by his mother. The Blakes were Dissenters, and are believed to have belonged to the Moravian sect. The Bible was an early and profound influence on Blake, and would remain a source of inspiration throughout his life.
At the age of 21, he became a professional engraver. His most famous work is Dante's Inferno in 1826, but only a handful of the watercolours were completed before his death.
