Joseph Viscomi

Joseph Viscomi is the James G. Kenan Distinguished Professor in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He co-founded and co-edits the William Blake Archive, a seminal digital humanities project since 1996, recognized with the MLA’s Distinguished Scholarly Edition Prize (2003) and its Approved Edition seal (2005). His work focuses on Romantic literature, visual arts, and digital curation.

Education:

• Ph.D., Columbia University, 1980
• M.Phil., Columbia University, 1978
• M.A., Columbia University, 1974
• Ph.B., Monteith College, Wayne State University, 1973

Research Interests: Digital Humanities, British Romantic literature, history of the book, visual culture, and Blake studies. The Blake Archive, his flagship project, has redefined digital scholarly editing, providing access to Blake’s works through high-resolution imaging and innovative tools. Recent publications include William Blake’s Printed Paintings (2021) and a 2019 essay on Blake’s posthumous illuminated books.

Awards:

• John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship
• National Humanities Center Fellowship
• Getty Museum Grant
• MLA Awards (2003, 2005)

Teaching & Grants: Teaches courses on Romantic art, digital editing, and Blake in popular culture. Has secured NEH grants and fellowships from institutions like the Huntington Library and the Yale Center for British Art. The Archive’s graduate assistants contribute to its editorial work.

Labs/Teams: Directs the William Blake Archive, collaborating with international libraries and museums. The project’s 2016 redesign was hailed as a breakthrough in digital humanities aesthetics.