The Counter-Arts Conspiracy: Art and Industry in the Age of Blake

William Blake thought that the art establishment of Georgian England was controlled by 'a gang of cunning hired knaves' conspiring to suppress genuine originality and creativity. This ground-breaking study examines the reasons for his belief, and sets it against the political, commercial, religious and technological conditions of the day. Extensively illustrated with contemporary prints, the study also casts light on the crisis that affected English painting at the time, and on Blake's unique response to the birth of mass communication.