Dante’s Divine Comedy 1308

Florentine poet Dante Alighien (1265-1321)

An adventure packed journey through the realm of the dead.

Every aspect of Dante’s Commedia caries symbolic meaning.

Dante and Virgil with Ovid, Homer, Lucan, and Horace; the Castle of Limbo

•Italian illuminated manuscript •Middle of the 15th century

Priamo della Quercia executed the illuminations for the Inferno and Purgatorio and all three historiated initials, Giovanni di Paolo those for Paradiso.

Cocytus; Punishment of Traitors; Ugolino and Ruggieri

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Meeting with Charon

Punishment of the Gluttons

The Three Beast

Carnal Sinners

Dante's Dream of the Eagle; Door of Purgatory; Punishment of the Proud

Virgin and Child in the Celestial Rose

His illustrations of the Paradiso are greatly admired for their visual interpretation of the poem: the artist doesn't just transcribe Dante's words but seeks to render their meaning.

Fall of the Rebel Angels

Justinian explains Christ's death as God's just vengeance

Justinian Recalls the History of the Roman Empire

Martyrdom of St. Lawrence

Minos Judges the Damned

Ugolino Recounts his Story

"Capaneus the Blasphemer"

•Blake's 102 drawings illustrating Dante's Divine Comedy commissioned by John Linnell

•British poet, painter, visionary mystic, and engraver, who illustrated and printed his own books.

1824-27

(1757-1827)London

"The Baffled Devils Fighting"

As we generally find with Blake's illustrations to the works of

other writers, he has paid close attention to the details of Dante's poem.

From his early years, he experienced visions of angels and ghostly monks, he saw and conversed with the angel Gabriel, the Virgin Mary, and various historical figures.

"Dante Running from the Three Beasts"

While faithful to the text, Blake also brings his own perspective to bear on some of Dante's central themes, including sin, guilt, punishment, revenge, and salvation.

"The Mission of Virgil"

Wordsworth's verdict after Blake's death reflected many opinions of the time: "There was no doubt that this poor man was mad, but there is something in the madness of this man which interests me more than the sanity of Lord Byron and Walter Scott."

"Minos"

Among Blake's later artistic works are drawings and engravings for Dante's Divine Comedy and the 21 illustrations to the book of Job, which was completed when he was almost 70 years old.

"The Circle of the Lustful: Francesca Da Rimini"

"First Version of Cerberus"

"The Stygian Lake with the Ireful Sinners Fighting"

"The Symbolic Figure of the Course of Human History Described by Virgil"

"Geryon Conveying Dante and Virgil Down Towards Malebolge"

"The Simoniac Pope"

"The Punishment of the Thieves"

"The Six-Footed Serpent Attacking Agnolo Brunelleschi"

"The Schismatics and Sowers of Discord: Mosca De' Lamberti and Bertrand De Born"

"Dante and Virgil Escaping from the Devils"

"Ephialtes and Two Other Titans"

"Lucifer"

"Dante at the Moment of Entering the Fire"

"Beatrice Addressing Dante from the Car"

"The Harlot and the Giant"

"Dante Adoring Christ"

"Saint Peter and Saint James with Dante and Beatrice"