A Vital Partner in Art and Life Catherine Blake, born Catherine Boucher, was a painter and a vital presence in the life of her husband, William Blake. Born in 1762, she met William in Battersea in 1781. The couple married on 18 August 1782 in St. Mary's Church, Battersea. While she was initially illiterate, signing her wedding contract with an 'X', William taught her to read, write, and operate his printing-press. Throughout her hus…