The Guardian

How William Blake’s wife brought colour to his works of genius

Catherine Blake’s unacknowledged contribution to the artist’s work is celebrated in a new show at Tate Britain
Detail from an illustrated page of William Blake’s poem The Tyger. Catherine Blake was central to her husband’s printing and colouring processes. Photograph: Rob Deslongchamps/Cincinnati Art Museum, Gift of Mr and Mrs John J Emery

The wife of William Blake, Catherine, was his partner in both life and work, making, mixing and applying his paint colours, according to curators at Tate Britain, who will open their biggest exhibition of the work of the radical British artist and poet this week.

Rather than celebrating Catherine by displaying the handful of surviving works known to have been made by her alone, the gallery has chosen instead

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