The Inferno, c. 1460-1480
Unknown Italian (Florence), 15th centuryexpand_more
Engravingexpand_more
Gift of Herschel V. Jonesexpand_more P.10,586
Not on Viewexpand_more
As if attempting to gain some control over the afterlife, this anonymous engraver made hell an orderly place indeed. The arrangement was inspired in part by Dante's description of hell in the Divine Comedy. A three-headed Lucifer squats in the middle, bodies dangling from his mouths, stomach, and limbs. Tortures abound: people are dismembered, entwined with snakes, roasted on a spit, and sawed in two. At lower left, devils pour gold down a miser's mouth. The print's source evidently was a fresco at a cemetery in Pisa. Because the earliest Italian engravings were made on soft metal that wore out quickly, the only known examples of The Inferno exist in later, reworked impressions.
Details
- Title
- The Inferno
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.10,586
- Provenance
- Black stamp verso, W. Koller (Lugt 2632) (punch hole in card)
- Catalogue Raisonne
- H.I.49.59 ii/ii
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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