Night Thoughts (Folio Society Limited Edition)

Folio Society limited facsimile edition. First edition thus. Numbered on limitation page, 484 of 750.

A facsimile edition of the original copy kept within the London Museum. The history behind this volume tells quite the tale. William Blake is among the most highly regarded British authors and artists in history. Edward Young, best known for the poetry within this work, originally published the collection between 1742 and 1745. The poems, deeply emotive and moving, were written as he dealt with the death of his wife and the ongoing degradation (and eventual failing) of his relationship with his son. These works of poetry became an almost-instant success and were highly influential in the Eighteenth Century. Blake published his original illustrated version of these poems in 1797, however it consisted of only 43 of his accompanying artworks. This original publication failed to achieve success, becoming a commercial failure, and causing Blake to never publish the hundreds of other artworks he had designed to accompany Young's poetry.

This edition marks the first and only time the entirety of Blake's watercolour works have been published in a full-colour facsimile. These works, almost 500 in total, are seen as including some of Blake's most vibrant, emotive, and dramatic work. Accompanying the two volumes is a smaller commentary volume by Robyn Hamlyn, a curator at Tate Museum Britain and a specialist in Blake's work.

Housed in purple buckram-wrapped solander case which is lettered lettered in gilt. Main volume bound in quarter goatskin and illustrated cloth. Titling to spine in gilt. Cover illustration by Neil Gower. Contents printed on Natural Evolution paper by Castelli Bolis. Main volume accompanied by envelope featuring three loose prints, as well as a smaller commentary volume by Christopher Mills.

Full title: The Complaint: or Night Thoughts on Life, Death, & Immortality.

Overall condition: near fine. Some very mild foxing to the cloth of vol.II. Otherwise, fine. A spectacular edition of the complete works of William Blake.

3 volumes. Folio Society Limited Edition. London: The Folio Society, 2005. Thick Elephant Folio. Original half leather and cloth in cloth solander case. Pages: 548 across two main volumes; companion volume: [i-vi], vii-xx, 362.

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