The Circle of Traitors: Dante's Foot Striking Bocca degli Abbate
Original title: The Circle of Traitors: Dante's Foot Striking Bocca degli Abbate
kurzbeschreibung
William Blake's engraving from around 1825–27 plunges into a scene from Dante's Inferno: Dante treads on the traitor Bocca degli Abati in the ice of the ninth circle of Hell. The plate measures 23.3 x 34 cm, the sheet 27.3 x 34.9 cm.
Description
In the foreground, two female figures in long robes gaze gravely and thoughtfully at several bodies lying on the ground—unconscious or dead, arms raised, motionless. A bearded man in a hood lies on his back, beside him another motionless hooded figure. A landscape with trees and a river closes the view at the back; dark shading and dense engraved lines define the image.
Context
In his final years, around 1825–27, William Blake produced illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy, commissioned by the artist John Linnell. The series remained unfinished and appeared only after Blake's death. He fused his own mystical imagery with the literary source, focusing on the moral and allegorical aspects of the circles of Hell.
Impact
The engraving feels somber and oppressive through its dark shading and dense linear structure. The serious faces of the female figures and the motionless bodies on the ground create a silence and finality that draw the viewer into the scene.
Technique
For this engraving, lines were cut into a copper plate and then printed. The method allows fine details and precise rendering of shading, used here for dramatic effect. The dimensions of plate and sheet indicate a compact, richly detailed print.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)