“A leading American Blake scholar once described the prospect of editing "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" as ‘a swamp filled with gators;’ Michael Phillips has navigated his way with great skill through the problems of chronology, textual unity, technique, contemporary context and significance of Blake''s strikingly witty, sardonic, quirky, cryptic product of his unique combination of text and illustration in his illuminated books. As well as the facsimile of Copy B, one of the earliest of the nine known copies of the book, there are twenty-one valuable supplementary color plates of comparable pages from other copies, including a full run of Plate 14 as it occurs in the nine copies produced between 1793 to the year of his death, 1827. The detailed commentary discusses both text and illustrations, and in the case of the illustrations is most helpfully accompanied by appropriate details from Blake''s designs.” — Martin Butlin, formerly Keeper of the British
“This edition of one of Blake’s most potent and provocative books will give great pleasure both to Blake enthusiasts and to those new to his work.”—Tracy Chevalier
--Tracy Chevalier
“This is an excellent scholarly edition of one of Blake’s most fascinating works, likely to become the defining text for generations to come. No one knows as much about Blake’s work in this period as Michael Phillips and he uses his knowledge of the text, its context, and Blake’s printing techniques to open up the question of what Blake thought he was doing with "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell".” —John Mee
--John Mee
A leading American Blake scholar once described the prospect of editing "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" as a swamp filled with gators; Michael Phillips has navigated his way with great skill through the problems of chronology, textual unity, technique, contemporary context and significance of Blake's strikingly witty, sardonic, quirky, cryptic product of his unique combination of text and illustration in his illuminated books. As well as the facsimile of Copy B, one of the earliest of the nine known copies of the book, there are twenty-one valuable supplementary color plates of comparable pages from other copies, including a full run of Plate 14 as it occurs in the nine copies produced between 1793 to the year of his death, 1827. The detailed commentary discusses both text and illustrations, and in the case of the illustrations is most helpfully accompanied by appropriate details from Blake's designs. Martin Butlin, editor of "The Complete Paintings and Drawings of William Blake"
--Martin Butlin"
This edition of one of Blake s most potent and provocative books will give great pleasure both to Blake enthusiasts and to those new to his work.
--Tracy Chevalier"
This is an excellent scholarly edition of one of Blake s most fascinating works, likely to become the defining text for generations to come. No one knows as much about Blake s work in this period as Michael Phillips and he uses his knowledge of the text, its context, and Blake s printing techniques to open up the question of what Blake thought he was doing with "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell." John Mee
--John Mee"
"A leading American Blake scholar once described the prospect of editing
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell as 'a swamp filled with gators;' Michael Phillips has navigated his way with great skill through the problems of chronology, textual unity, technique, contemporary context and significance of Blake's strikingly witty, sardonic, quirky, cryptic product of his unique combination of text and illustration in his illuminated books. As well as the facsimile of Copy B, one of the earliest of the nine known copies of the book, there are twenty-one valuable supplementary color plates of comparable pages from other copies, including a full run of Plate 14 as it occurs in the nine copies produced between 1793 to the year of his death, 1827. The detailed commentary discusses both text and illustrations, and in the case of the illustrations is most helpfully accompanied by appropriate details from Blake's designs." -- Martin Butlin, editor of
The Complete Paintings and Drawings of William Blake --Martin Butlin
"This edition of one of Blake's most potent and provocative books will give great pleasure both to Blake enthusiasts and to those new to his work."
--Tracy Chevalier
"This is an excellent scholarly edition of one of Blake's most fascinating works, likely to become the defining text for generations to come. No one knows as much about Blake's work in this period as Michael Phillips and he uses his knowledge of the text, its context, and Blake's printing techniques to open up the question of what Blake thought he was doing with
The Marriage of Heaven and Hell." --John Mee
--John Mee
William Blake (1757-1827) was a nonconformist who associated with some of the leading radical thinkers of his day, such as Thomas Paine and Mary Wollstonecraft. A skilled engraver and illustrator, his illustrated poetry collections resembled the illuminated books of the Middle Ages.