| Timeline |
| 1757 |
Born in London, 28 November |
| 1767 |
Father sends him to Henry Par's drawing school in the Strand |
| 1768 |
Begins writing Poetical Sketches |
| 1771 |
Becomes an apprentice of Basire the engraver |
| 1779 |
Leaves Basire and enters the Royal Academy |
| 1782 |
50 copies of Poetical Sketches printed |
| 1782 |
Becomes a freelance engraver |
| 1782 |
Marries Catherine Boucher on 18 August |
| 1783 |
Blake's father dies in July |
| 1784 |
Opens a print shop with James Parker at 27 Broad Street |
| 1787 |
Brother Robert dies at age 19, In a vision, Robert shows William a new method of engraving |
| 1788 |
Natural Religion, the first of his illuminated works, published |
| 1789 |
Songs of Innocence published |
| 1790 |
Marriage of Heaven and Hell published |
| 1791 |
The French Revolution published |
| 1791 |
Blake's mother dies in September |
| 1791 |
Illustrates Wollstonecraft's Original Stories from Real Life |
| 1793 |
America: A Prophecy published |
| 1793 |
Visions of the Daughters of Albion published |
| 1794 |
Songs of Innocence and of Experience published |
| 1794 |
The First Book of Urizen published |
| 1795 |
The Song of Los published |
| 1800 |
Moves to Felpham in Sussex |
| 1803 |
Charged with high treason (based on the testimony of an inebriated soldier) and put on trial at Chichester - he is acquitted |
| 1809 |
Exhibition at the Royal Academy fails to attract any significant interest |
| 1810 |
Begins to suffer bouts of severe depression which last until 1817 |
| 1817 |
Hesiod is published |
| 1820 |
First Copy of Jerusalem printed |
| 1826 |
Job published |
| 1827 |
Dies 12 August of complications from gallstones. Is buried in an unmarked grave at Bunhill Fields. |
