"Death of the Strong Wicked Man" by Louis Schiavonetti after William Blake. From "The Grave, A Poem" by Robert Blair (1808)
Robert Blair's poem belongs to the school of graveyard poetry in which the theme of death was used as a motif for moral instruction. It was first published in 1743 and by 1798 it had reached its forty-ninth edition. Blake was originally commissioned by Robert Cromek to design and engrave the illustrations to this volume but the task of engraving was soon given to Louis Schiavonetti, a popular professional engraver. Cromek paid Blake 20 guineas for the twelve designs while Schiavonetti could command a fee of up to 60 guineas for engraving a single plate. Blake, furious at being cheated, dubbed his replacement 'Assassinetti' and called Cromek 'A petty, Sneaking Knave' who 'loves the Art but 'tis the Art to Cheat'. [Synopsis by the National Gallery of Victoria]
"Death of the Strong Wicked Man" by Louis Schiavonetti after William Blake. From "The Grave, A Poem" by Robert Blair (1808)
Robert Blair's poem belongs to the school of graveyard poetry in which the theme of death was used as a motif for moral instruction. It was first published in 1743 and by 1798 it had reached its forty-ninth edition. Blake was originally commissioned by Robert Cromek to design and engrave the illustrations to this volume but the task of engraving was soon given to Louis Schiavonetti, a popular professional engraver. Cromek paid Blake 20 guineas for the twelve designs while Schiavonetti could command a fee of up to 60 guineas for engraving a single plate. Blake, furious at being cheated, dubbed his replacement 'Assassinetti' and called Cromek 'A petty, Sneaking Knave' who 'loves the Art but 'tis the Art to Cheat'. [Synopsis by the National Gallery of Victoria]