Today, let's move to 19th-century England with one of the most famous figures of British Romanticism, William Blake.
Artist and astrologer John Varley encouraged Blake to sketch the figures from his visions, known as "visionary heads." Among the most famous is his depiction of a flea. Blake claimed that, as he was sketching, the flea revealed to him that these creatures were inhabited by the souls of bloodthirsty men, condemned to insect bodies because, if they were the size of horses, they would consume enough blood to depopulate entire regions. The flea’s voracious nature is reflected in its eager tongue and the cup it carries for drinking blood.
Very Romantic, we must say.
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P.P.S. William Blake created some of the most captivating works of British art. Join us as we take a closer look at Blake's The Ancient of Days, an epic representation of his views on religion, politics, and humanity.