View of St. Edmund's Chapel in the Church of East Dereham, containing the Grave of William Cowper Esquire

The View of St. Edmund's Chapel in the Church of East Dereham, containing the Grave of William Cowper Esquire is an engraving executed by William Blake in 1804. Classified as a fine print, this work showcases Blake’s mastery of the reproductive medium, utilizing sharp, deliberate lines typical of copperplate etching prevalent in the United Kingdom during the Romantic period. This piece, created early in the nineteenth century, ties directly into the contemporary British fascination with literary pilgrimage and biographical tribute.

The central subject is the tomb of the celebrated English poet William Cowper (1731-1800), situated within the historic architecture of East Dereham Church. Blake’s rendering is meticulous, documenting the sepulchral enclosure beneath the vaulted structure of the chapel. This illustration functions both as a commemorative tribute to Cowper and as an example of topographical art, capturing the solemn interior space dedicated to memory. As a major figure in the British art world often producing illustrations for books, Blake’s involvement ensured a wide dissemination of this evocative image of Cowper’s final resting place.

This significant print is currently held within the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work serves as valuable evidence of Blake's diverse output, which extended beyond his renowned illuminated books into commissioned illustrative prints. Works such as this, produced before 1805, are often studied for their relationship to the developing use of commercial engraving techniques, many of which now reside in the public domain and are key resources for scholars researching British funerary and commemorative arts.