Ballads

Ballads is a significant bound volume published in 1805, resulting from a unique collaboration between the poet William Hayley, the visionary artist William Blake, and the publisher Richard Phillips. Classified formally as a Volume, the work contains extensive text alongside five illustrative plates, demonstrating the period’s commitment to high-quality book illustration.

The illustrations were executed using the precise medium of etching with engraving on wove paper, showcasing Blake’s skill in graphic art outside of his better-known illuminated books. These complex prints allowed Blake to translate Hayley’s literary narratives into powerful visual forms, creating a cohesive artistic and literary document. This work is a primary example of British artistic and publishing endeavors during the early 19th century, falling squarely within the historical period 1801 to 1825.

The relationship between Hayley and Blake, which began during Blake’s stay at Felpham, provided the artistic foundation for the Volume. Blake frequently contributed professional illustrative services to Hayley’s projects. The role of Phillips was crucial; as a prominent London publisher, he handled the commercial distribution of the final product, helping to ensure the work reached a substantial reading public. The combination of delicate etching lines and controlled engraving textures evident in the plates highlights the standard of craftsmanship expected in book illustration during the era.

This complete bound volume serves as an important record of the professional artistic partnership between Blake and Hayley, and the commercial infrastructure managed by Phillips. Preserved in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, this piece offers crucial insight into Blake’s varied career as an illustrator and engraver, providing context for his technical mastery of the printmaking process.