Author Archives: Katherine Jackson

Depictions of Beatrice’s Arrival

Gustave Doré and William Blake both depict Beatrice’s arrival in Dante’s Purgatory, in vastly different ways. The scenes in cantos 29-30 are a turning point in the Commedia, with Dante finally reunited with his love, Beatrice. While Blake shows the scene drenched in colour and full of life, Doré depiction is more austere and classically.

Gustave Doré created the artwork Ascension of the procession in 1868. The engraving depicted Beatrice flying through the air lounged upon the arms of a group of angels. Dante’s Commedia had popular appeal in Doré’s homeland of France in the 1860s, with a number of translations of the poem into French being created (Audeh, World of Dante). Doré financed the project of illustrating Inferno himself as no publisher would accept the project, however it was such a success that a publisher commissioned his illustration of Purgatory and Paradise (Audeh, World of Dante). In 1824, William Blake was commissioned by his friend and fellow artist John Linnell to create a series of artworks based on the Divine Comedy (Audeh, World of Dante. One of these works Beatrice Addressing Dante From the Car, depicts Beatrice arrival in canto 29 of Purgatory. Blake chose the medium of ink and watercolour on paper for his work (Tate Museum, “William Blake’s Illustrations to Dante’s Divine Comedy”). Blake’s work depicts Beatrice and her procession standing in front of Dante in the Earthly Paradise.

Beatrice had long been a focus of Dante’s before writing the Commedia. Dante had already written his collection of poems, the Vita Nuova, of while Beatrice was the subject. She died when she was aged 25 years old, making it natural for the poet to also chose her as a feature of the afterlife in the Commedia. She is the character which puts into motion the entire poem. Kirkpatrick (1990) writes that “moves” the whole Commedia, just as how she moves Virgil to Dante’s assistance in Inferno, and on this view, not to understand Beatrice is not to understand the Commedia at all’ (p102).

“He fell so low that all means for his salvation had already fallen short, except to show him the lost people.” Beatrice, canto 30, lines 136-138

Beatrice’s arrival is recounted in canto 29 of Purgatory, although she does not interact with Dante until canto 30. She explains that she sent him on this adventure to set him on the “true path”. She explains that after her death he went astray. Knowing that Dante has turned astray from the path of truth since her death at 25 years old, she has sent him on his journey to find the right path again.

We have no way of confirming how accurate artists’ depictions of Dante’s muse are. Charles Williams, quoted in Henderson (p197, 2010), states about her “each image is but a trace.. we have only hints and fragments of her story”. Due to this uncertainty about who she really was, there is no way to confirm what she physically looked like. Henderson (2010) argues that the only common feature she has throughout depiction is her femininity. The same author also argues that all images of her are merely copies, reproductions, or new interpretations of her physical appearance, readjusted to fit the aesthetic preferences of that time. Henderson argues that the image of Beatrice changes over time, just as does our interpretation of the Commedia, and quotes Osip Mandelstam – “It is unthinkable to read the cantos of Dante without aiming them in the direction of the present day” (p203).

Doré’s artwork shows Beatrice being lifted by a group of angels. They are draped in delicate white robes. Beatrice has a crown resting on her head and has her eyes downturned. The most obvious way to tell that they are flying is by their wings. The shade and lines on the dresses of the women also show the way they are being blown and give away the direction they are flying – towards the right of the frame.  Again, we can see the direction and movement through the petals being dropped by the angels.

Despite her heavenly company, there is no mistaking that Beatrice is the most important figure in the work through the way it is arranged She is directly in the centre of the image and most of the angels have their gaze directed towards her. Following the lines created by the wings of the angels, they all lead to Beatrice. Similarly, the angel in the bottom right has her arm outreached, directly towards Beatrice.

The work is mostly symmetrical, with the exception of the angel in the lower right-hand side. There is almost the same amount of free space between the top of the angels and the top of the work, as there is from the bottom of the angels to the bottom of the work, and on either side. This, again, directs the viewers gaze towards Beatrice.

The lighting of the image appears to be emanating from Beatrice’s glance. The angel situated directly below her, as well as the angels to her left, who are away from her gaze to her right, are in shadows and darker than the rest. Additionally, the clouds below her are darker than above her, suggesting that they are traveling upwards, towards another light. Because Doré is confined to using monochrome, the artist uses darkness to show depth in the figures.

 

Blake’s artwork vastly contrasts against Doré’s. Blake’s work is a blast of colour and light pours into every section of the image. It shows Beatrice’s procession standing before Dante, who is shown in the bottom right corner. Beatrice is show standing upon her chariot, led by the griffin, on the left of her. On both sides of her are two figures, four in total, three with animal like faces. The figures have large blue wings which tower over the rest of the work, and are covered in eyes. Below Beatrice’s feet is a spiral shape, also covered in eyes, as well as faces. On the left are two women, and a third to the right.

The Tate Museum writes that “The rich and bright colours used here express Dante’s double delight. He is reunited with his lady-love, and at the same time is experiencing a revelation of the divine.” Every inch of the image is steeped in colour. Blake has stayed close to what Dante writes of this moment: “I saw the flames move on, leaving the air behind them painted, and they seemed like brushes drawn along, so that the air overhead was marked with seven stripes, all in those colours with which the Sun makes his bow and Delia her belt” (Purgatory, Canto 29, lines 73- 78). Indeed, in the background of Blake’s work, we can see the seven colours – the rainbow- which Dante speaks of. As an artist choice, it is clear why the scene is shown so brightly. Beatrice is the reason Dante has embarked on this whole journey, and seeing his love again, he is overcome with emotions. Another choice made in the use of colour by Blake is the pairing of Beatrice and Dante, making them both have red clothing.

The faces of the beings who surround Beatrice’s chariot are not displayed are vibrantly as other figures in the work. This gives a sense that they are watching over the scene, rather than really there. This may perhaps be a decision made by the author, because they do not feature in Dante’s poem. According to the Tate Museum’s description of the work, where Blake’s image is displayed, the four figures surrounding Beatrice resemble the Four Evangelists. They describe Mark as a lion, Luke as an ox and John as an eagle, and Matthew as having Christ-like features. Dante describes them as “four animals, each crowned with green leaves” in lines 92-93, and Blake depicts these animal like features. The figures wings are covered in eyes, and this matches with Dante’s description of what is surrounding the chariot: “each was feathered with six wings; the feathers were full of eyes..” (Canto 29, lines 94-95).  Dante however, makes no mention of these figures being the Four Evangelists. Dante makes a point not to describe the being at Beatrice’s feet in canto 29, saying “to describe their shapes I scatter no more rhymes, reader, for another outlay constrains me so that I cannot be liberal with this one; but read Ezekiel, who depicts them as he saw them coming..” (Purgatory, canto 29, page 97-101) Here, we can assume Dante is referring to the ophanim, supposedly eye covered wheels which sit below God’s throne, which Ezekiel saw in a vision.

The three women dressed in green, red and white are Hope, Charity, and Faith, respectively. Dante describes them in lines 121-126 of Purgatory: “Three ladies came dancing in a circle at the right wheel, one so red that she would hardly be noticed within fire, the next was as if her flesh and bones had been fashioned of emerald; the third appeared like newly fallen snow”. Blake again stays loyal to Dante’s description. While Hope and Charity are adorned with some of the darkest colours in the artwork, and are made to have skin tones, Faith is completely white. The complete whiteness of her body and dress make her resemble a Greek marble statue. Faith is glancing up at Beatrice, and with one hand gesturing to Dante. In the other hand is a book, possibly the bible given her stance as faith.

Beatrice is surrounded by light, which glows from behind her, almost like a halo. Her clothing appears virtually translucent and you can see her body underneath it. She is wearing a crown on what appears to be her long blonde hair and is wearing a blue cape. The light emitting from her give her a look of holiness, and her crown signifies her high status. Her position high above everyone else in the image is another way of displaying her superiority.

Doré’s and Blake’s depiction of Beatrice’s arrival are vastly different than each other. Doré does not have many of the features that both Dante and Blake have. The most prominent difference is their depiction of the angels. Whereas Blake’s angels have they eyes on their wings as Dante describes, Doré’s do not. Blake’s angels additionally are shown with animalistic traits, making them seem much more like mystical creatures, than something readers can recognize. The difference in Doré’s depiction makes the image much less startling to the modern viewer, who would be more familiar with Doré’s image of angels. Blake’s artwork, in general, is a much more surreal interpretation than Doré’s, who shows his figures as much more recognizable. Blake’s depiction has less figures than Doré’s, however the figures fill the space much more. The number of colours make Doré’s image appear much more full and busy. Blake’s work is also very much a contrast to Doré’s monochrome work, with the colours in Blake’s are various and vibrant.

Another difference is Blake’s work takes place later then Doré’s – the procession, and Beatrice, has already landed in front of Dante. This changes the focus from being on Beatrice, to on Dante’s reception of her. Neither show the “twenty-four elders, two by two, were coming, crowned with lilies” (Purgatory, canto 29, lines 82-84), or the seven men at the end of the procession. Additionally, Blake does not show the four women dressed in purple. However, even with less figures, Blake’s work is more identifiable as the scene in cantos 29 and 30 than Doré’s, because of all the recognizable figures.

 

Sources

“Beatrice Addressing Dante From The Car.” Tate Museum. Last Updated March 2011. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/blake-beatrice-addressing-dante-from-the-car-n03369

“William Blake’s Illustrations to Dante’s Divine Comedy”. Tate Museum. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/william-blake-39/blake-illustrations-dante

Audeh, Aida. World of Dante. University of Viginia. http://www.worldofdante.org/gallery_dore.html

Henderson, G., 2010. The Many Faces of Bea. The Kenyon Review, 32(3), pp.197–210.

Kirkpatrick, Robin. “Dante’s Beatrice and the Politics of Singularity.” Texas Studies in Literature and Language, vol. 32, no. 1, 1990, pp. 101–119. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40754921.

The Woman and The Giant

Makeup for Blogpost 4

Giant and whore atop the transformed cart, John Flaxman, engraving.

Giant and whore atop the transformed cart, Gustave Doré, woodcut

John Flaxman and Gustave Doré both depict the same scene from canto 32 of Paradiso. At the end of the canto 32, the chariot which Beatrice had arrive on is transformed into a group of beasts. Dante sees “ungirt whore” sitting upon them (line 149).

Doré’s rendition, the giant has his hands placed on the woman, as if he is forcing her down. In Flaxman’s, she appears more of a willing participant, with the giant’s arm loosely around her waist, but without the forcefulness of Doré’s. In Flaxman’s, the giant wears a crown, carries a sword behind him. The woman wears a feathered hat on her head. This lends to a more regal look to the pair, than in Doré’s, where the giant is barely dressed, giving him the look of a savage and unkempt, more animal than man. The back of the chariot can still be seen in Flaxman’s depiction, and presumedly the transformation into the beasts has not fully taken place yet. However, for Doré’s work, the chariot has already completely disappeared from view.

Doré displays the beasts that the chariot has transformed in as looking straight forth, towards the audience of the artwork, whereas Flaxman’s beasts are looking to the side of the frame. The beasts looking forward appear more fearsome, because they can be seen as targeting the viewer.

Dante writes that the woman “turned her greedy, wandering eye towards” him, and the giant reacted in anger to this (line 154-159). Flaxman shows the giant and the woman looking at each other, albeit from the corner of their eyes. However, with Dante’s account in mind, she is most likely looking towards the poet, and the giant is looking at the woman in annoyance. In Doré’s depiction, the woman and the giant are both looking in the same general direction. The giant’s head is tilted downwards and to his right, away from the woman. Since Dante tells us the woman is looking at him, the giant’s gaze must also be on Dante.

 

 

Beatrice as Dante’s New Guide

Throughout Inferno, and up to this point in Purgatorio, Dante rarely acts or even speaks to anyone else, without first being told to by Virgil.  He has been the one pointing out what is important. However, from cantos 29 to 31 of Purgatorio, we see Virgil being replaced as the guide of Dante. We see that Virgil is still at Dante’s side in canto 29, lines 55-57, as Dante and the poet exchange glances of amazement over the light and sound emanating from the forest. But sometime between this action and canto 30, line 49-51, he is gone; “But Virgil has left us deprived of himself- Virgil, most sweet father, Virgil, to whom I gave myself for my salvation”.

Even before Virgil disappears, Matelda has been acting as Dante’s guide. In lines 7-9 of canto 29, Dante follow her along the riverbank. She directs him in lines 12-13 of canto 29 “My brother, look and listen”. Again in canto 29, she directs him to look beyond the light, to the people behind it, in lines 61-64; “Why do you burn so with feeling for the living lights and do not look at what comes after them?” This is how Virgil previously had drawn Dante’s attention when there was something of note which Dante has not seen.

Virgil’s absence allows Beatrice to take over as Dante’s guide. She explains in canto 30 how she guided him in life, through Dante’s love for her, and that once she died, he was left to wander away because he lacked her guidance. Now reunited it Purgatory, she resumes her role. She encourages him to speak and confess why he strayed in canto 31, lines 37-57.

For my final paper, I want to compare two paintings and how they represent the same scene. I am thinking of doing how the Prideful are depicted by Gustave Doré, versues Priamo della Quercia in the Yate Thompson manuscript.

Dante Prepares to Climb the Mountain

Dante and Virgil on the shore of Purgatory, 1544, Engraving by Alessandro Vellutello

This engraving by Alessandro Vellutello  depicts Canto 1 of Purgatory. The mountain that Dante and Virgil must climb soon is in the background of the image. However, we do not get a sense of the enormity of it’s height because the framing cuts off anything higher than its base. In the top right hand side of the image are the stars Dante speaks of in lines 22-25:  “I saw the four stars never seen except by the first people, the sky seemed to rejoice in their flames”. Directly below, lines in the image indicate these stars are shining down onto Cato, as Dante describes in 37-38 “the rays of the four holy lights so adorned his face with brightness…”

Dante, Virgil and Cato are shown at the base of the mountain. Dante is still on his knees from when Virgil force him down in lines 49-51 “My leader then lay hold on me and, with words and hands and gestures, made reverent my legs and brow”, when recognizing Cato and the respect he thinks he deserves. Cato tells them that before going any further, Dante must clean himself off and we see this action in the engraving. On the right is Virgil cleaning Dante’s face, spoken in lines 127-129 “…offered him my tear-stained cheeks; there he uncovered all that color of mine which Hell had hidden”. To the left of this is Virgil fixing Dante’s belt with reeds from the water around the island.

This image does not convey the light that Dante now sees. Throughout much of the canto Dante celebrates seeing daylight/dawn for the first time since before his journey through hell, calling the dawn sun “the sweet color of eastern sapphire… began to delight my eyes again”. The lack of color in the image makes it appear quite a dark scene. The ground’s texture appears very similar to that of the waves, with curving lines. Similarly, the mountains texture reaches upwards, like waves cresting. All of this in the image displays this scene as much more hectic than the calm and relief Dante feels in the canto.

Reflective Post One

In blog post one, it was solely a narration of what happened in the first canto. By post 6, I focused much more on a theme in the canto. However, this could still use more work. I tend to only uses a few lines from the canto to illustrate what I am arguing, which is not enough. Additionally, I do not draw enough from other resources available. Having other sources would be a good way of reinforcing my points. I should also look into arguing against what other people have written, if I do not agree with them.

Some of my blog post examine the same ideas as other students, however they usually take a different view on the topics.

Blog post 1 and 5, I used art in my analysis, both from the Yates Thompson 36 Manuscript. I enjoyed doing these two posts the most, as I feel comparing and contrasting how I image the scenes, and how artists have seen them, very interesting. The artworks from this manuscript in particular, I think are very good to examine as they show a progression, from left to right, they illustrate most of the scene.

There is a pattern in most of my posts. I start my stating my argument, then going to further depth about what this argument is, using a few quotes from the canto, analyzing these quotes, then a very brief summary. At first I thought the topics I address have all been very different, but looking back I notice I usually write of how Dante views certain sinners and their actions. I write whether he shows the sinners pity or distain, whether he writes of their punishment as fair or unjust.

I feel I could improve my posts if I just spent more time developing them, through reading other sources, other students’ posts etc, rather than only using the cantos and myself as the only source.

Virgil and Dante’s Relationship

During Canto 23, the closeness of the relationship that Dante and Virgil have developed during their journey is shown. From the second Virgil appears to Dante in canto 1, it is clear the pilgrim admired the poet. However, the source of Virgil’s concern for Dante seems mostly dependant on the fact a higher power wished it. However, during their travels through the various circles of hell, it is evident that a bond has been developed. In the start of canto 23, in lines 28-30, Virgil is able to know what Dante is feeling and worried about just by looking at him. And while theres no doubt Dante or anyone would look quite shaken having just run away from demons, it also goes to show the intimacy that has developed between the two. Virgil can recognise Dante’s concern without him having to verbalise it.
Dante has reguarly refered to Virgil as a father and master, mostly in the context of what a great inspiration to Virgil has been to him. In this canto it goes a step foward, with Dante describing motherly actions of Virgil towards him, eg. line 37-42: ‘my leader seized me quickly, like a mother who is, awakened by the noise and sees the flames burning close by, who takes up her son and flees, caring more for him than for herself, not stopping even to put on her shift:” Virgil has gone further than simply being Dante’s guide, to caring baout his safety above all else.

Dante’s views on Simony

This image from the Yates Thompson 36 manuscript depicts Canto 19. In this canto, Dante and Virgil encounter those who are damned because of the sin of Simony. The definition of this is using the position in the church to sell church positions or privileges. The souls here are stuck head down in holes, with only their legs and feet exposed, and their feet inflamed. Here, Dante refers to the church as a bride, in this metaphor, the pope is the groom, and by being simoniac has failed to protect her. He sees this as a truly awful sin, and does not show any pity towards the souls, as he has in some previous cantos. This is shown in line 12, when he exclaims “how justly your Power distributes!” Dante wholly approves of the punishment given to these sinners.

In the image, these souls are shown in the centre. Their legs and feet are red, almost as if the skin has been removed. there is even more red at the entrance of the hole, and the red is sprayed, and looks like blood. Dante is shown talking to Pope Nicholas III in the centre of the piece. In the second half of the canto, Dante berates then man, telling him that he deserves the suffering he is now enduring. Dante then takes pride in the approval he gets for what he has said, in lines 121-123: “I firmly believe that it pleased my leader, with such a contented smile he listened still to the sound of the true words I spoke.” On the far right of the image, Virgil has lifted the pilgrim up, ready to carry him away.

 

 

Mankind’s Fraud

In Canto 11, Dante and Virgil have a brief respite from their journey before continuing on, and both agreeing that they should make use of this time, Virgil decides to tell the pilgrim who they will be seeing next, so that he does not have to explain later. In lines 22-24: “Of every malice gaining the hatred of Heaven, injustice is the goal, and every such goal injures someone either with force or with fraud.” This line explains that the actions of men that Heaven punishes, are all actions that have the end goal of hurting someone. Virgil goes on to say later in the canto, that this hurt can be directed at “God, to oneself, and to one’s neighbor..” (Line 31). However, those who hurt another with violence are not punished to the same degree as those who are fraudulent, which here means those who lie or mislead.

Line 25-27: “But because fraud is an evil proper to man, it is more displeasing to God; and therefore the fraudulent have a lower place and greater pain assails them.” The mention of fraud being an evil that only mankind has is the reasoning for the greater punishment of those who commit fraud. Later in the canto, Virgil explains that fraud can be committed only where there is trust, and that fraud takes advantage of this trust (lines 52-53). This greater punishment of fraud because it is a human flaw may be linked to Satan deceiving in the Garden of Eden, committing the first fraud.

Dante Struggles with Greed

At the start of Canto 6, the pilgrim again awakens in the next circle of hell, the third circle. In this circle, the souls are subjected to eternal heavy rain. It is revealed they are cursed to be in this circle because of the gluttony in life. Cerberus is also here, a creature from Greek mythology that is a dog-like animal with three heads. When Virgil manages to distract Cerberus, the pilgrim begins talking to one of the souls, who says, like Dante, he is from Florence. The pilgrim asks if he knows what will become of their city, and names a group of men he sees as good. The man, who Dante names as Ciacco, answers that all the people the pilgrim asked about are even further down in the circles of Hell.

This Canto introduces us to Dante’s perspective of Florence, which Ciacco claims is full of greed and envy. Canto 6 illustrates that Dante does not only very greed as related to money or food, but also power.

Instead of feeling dislike towards Ciacco, the pilgrim appears to only pity him, even after Ciacco has revealed it was greed that sent him there. Dante feels sadness towards Ciacco, rather than resentment.

Assignment 1 Canto 1

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http://www.worldofdante.org/gallery_yates_thompson.html

I found this illustration on the University of Virginia’s World of Dante page.  It was under Yates Thompson 36. The illustration is by Priamo della Quercia, and is titled ‘The Three Beasts”. The illustration is not in the public domain.

This illustration refers to the majority of Canto 1. When Dante first wakes up, he finds himself in a strange, dark place. While attempting to find his way out he encounters three different animals which terrify him, before he finally meets his guide, Virgil; all of which is shown in this illustration. On the far left of the illustration, we see Dante laying on the ground, asleep, before he comes to himself. To the right, Dante is being attacked by the first of three beasts who roam this land,  a leopard. Dante has his arms flung upwards in fear of the leopard. Next, a lion is attempting to attack him. Just as before, Dante is illustrated as fearful. The third beast, a she-wolf is then attacking him, and has managed to knock him onto the ground. But on the far right, we see Dante has managed to escape, and found safety with a figure cloaked in red- Virgil.