LONDON.- Tate announced that eight hand-coloured etchings by William Blake (1757-1827) have been acquired for the nation. These beautiful works have been acquired for Tate Collection with the assistance of independent charity The Art Fund , Tate Members, Tate Patrons and the generosity of the public.

It is thanks to the careful habits of the descendants of his much-beloved and long-suffering wife Catherine that this remarkable suite of etchings by the great visionary English poet and artist William Blake have survived. Catherine was Blake's companion and helpmate throughout his life, at work or play ? they toiled side by side in his engraving studio, etching, hand-colouring, retouching. No ...

Blake, William: Songs of Innocence and Experience.

If beside the stupid and mad-brained political project of their rulers, the sane part of the people of England required fresh proof of the alarming increase of the effects of insanity, they will be too well convinced from its having lately spread into the hitherto sober region of art. But when the ebullitions of a distempered brain are mistaken for the sallies of genius..." ? well, then you know ...