Dante’s Inferno Canto VI (13-15) Cerberus 2016 – Watercolor on paper –

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The Divine Comedy (Illustration)

Dante awakens in the 3rd circle.

Cold dirty rain-fall, mixing with heavy hailstones, pounding down, finally, streaking the nude bodies of the condemned souls lying supine in the filthy mud.

Cerberus, the three-headed, dog-like worm beast stands over the souls clawing at the slightest movement made by the supine lying in the filth.

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Dante’s Inferno Canto VI (13-15) 2016

This is my first draft for a tempera under painting which will finally become an oil-resin painting.

I like to start with what I see in the mind’s eye when I read Canto VI, staying true to what I read.

 You’ll have to read Canto VI of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri to find out what each circle holds and why they are there.

Dante’s Inferno Canto V (121-138) The Lustful

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Dante’s Inferno Canto V The Lustful (121-138) 2016

Virgil and Dante enter the Second Circle where the lustful are forever thrown around in dark dust storm. Dante sees Dido, Cleopatra, Helen, Achilles, Paris and countless others who died for love.

Dante’s Inferno Canto 2 (55-63)

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Beatriz Summons Virgil

Dante’s Inferno Canto 2 (55) Beatriz Summons Virgil in Limbo 2012

Beatriz decends from a place that she longs to return to visit Virgil whose soul is suspended in Limbo.   She asks Virgil to guide her friend Dante out of the dark forest where he is trapped by three beasts.  Virgil describes Beatriz as having eyes that surpassed the spledor of the star’s.