Ally K. Merchan

Dante’s Divine Comedy

Professor Porcelli

May 24, 2019

Beatrice and her divine love

            Throughout the Inferno, two of the most important characters to Dante Alighieri was his beloved Beatrice and his trustworthy guide Virgil. In canto 2, Virgil is sent by Dante’s adored Beatrice to accompany him on his journey to the underworld. Since she is in heaven, she cannot accompany Dante through hell; she believes that Virgil will be a very honorable guide for Dante. Beatrice believes that Dante needs a dependable guide to help him through this journey because Dante feels unworthy of this journey. Virgil is the perfect fit since he also reassures and helps Dante whenever he needs. He serves as both a motherly and father figure. Beatrice is also shown as a motherly figure later in the Divine Comedy since she tends to scold him and make sure he is always okay. Moreover, Giovanni Stradano and Gustave Dorè both created visual works of art representing the same scene of Virgil and Beatrice in the Divine Comedy. Dante casts Beatrice as the representation of divine love in Inferno. She is sent by God and depicted as heavenly in both paintings. The most accurate representation of Virgil and Beatrice in canto 2 is the painting by Giovanni Stradano.

Johannes Stradanus (Jan van der Straet) was a Flemish painter who lived from 1523-1605. He is not a well-known artist, but he has created many artworks in the second half of the 16^thcentury. Giovanni settled in Italy in 1545 where he worked in Florence for the rest of his career (Stradanus).  He is best known in Italy as Giovanni Stradano. He worked with the Medici family frequently. He created over 130 cartoons for the Arazzeria Medicea, which was a tapestry factory that was founded by Duke Cosimo de Medici in 1557. He also painted many altarpieces for Florentine churches remodeled by Vasari and later in 1564 he contributed to the tomb decoration of famous painter and sculptor Michelangelo.  Additionally, after 1578, Stradano began creating engravings and produced countless drawings that later became translated into prints. He had a “second career as a draughtsman and designer of hundreds of prints. There were engraved, published, and distributed all over the then-known world by Antwerp publishers in huge numbers” (Painting). All of these works were widely spread, collected and became popular which made him earn his place in art history an innovative and influential artist.

Paul-Gustave Dorè was a French illustrator who was born on January 6, 1832 and died on January 23, 1883 Paris France. He never got married and lived his entire life with his mother. Nonetheless, Dorè had a very successful career. Gustave has produced over 90 wood engraved illustrated books in his lifetime; this produced countless jobs for wood cutters in the late 18^thcentury. He is famously known for his artwork in the Bible and Dante’s Divine Comedy. His black and white painting were characterized with such fine detail, technical mastery and the realist depictions of humans as well as fantasy creature (Artstor).  “It is based on a Christian view of the afterlife but is enhanced by Dante’s preternatural vision of the other world. His depiction of the horrors and tortures of Hell are particularly vivid, and Dore’s illustrations are a fitting companion to Dante’s great work” (Artsor).

This painting of Beatrice and Virgil was made in 1587 by Giovanni Stradano. When first looking at this painting you notice that it looks older due to the colors used. Stradano mostly used black, orange, and a hint of white for this painting. The faces of both Beatrice and Virgil are not as detailed as everything else in the photograph. The background looks like the outside castle and gates of the city Dis since this is only the second canto. It may also be from the outside gates of hell since there are visible orange flames behind the back right. Beatrice is floating in the air like an angel sent from above. She has a white outside glow that outlines her entire body and makes her look godlier. Stradano made her like this to emphasize her heavenly sense and represent her love. Since she is coming to tell Virgil to take care of her treasured Dante. Beatrice is wearing a leaf crown around her head along with a robe that has a sash across her chest.  Virgil is looking up at her while also wearing a leaf crown and robe with a sash across his chest that says his name on it. He has a confused look on his face like Beatrice caught him off guard since he has his right hand up. Beatrice has her hand down almost pointing to Virgil. Moreover, they are surrounded by grassland and a little blurb right above their heads. It appears to be two young women that look like Beatrice’s handmaidens.  The handmaidens look like Rachel and Lucia. This is very similar to the Inferno. In lines 97-105

She called Lucia in her request and said: — Now

your faithful one has need of you, and I put him in

your hands—

Lucia, enemy of all cruelty, moved and came to

the place where I was sitting with the ancient Rachel.

She said: — Beatrice, true praise of God, why do

you not help him who loved you so, who because of

you came forth from the common herd.

The feelings and emotions that are associated with this painting is reassurance along with confusion. Since the colors in the painting are dull, one doesn’t sense happiness. The confusion comes from the look of Virgil’s face because he doesn’t seem to know her or what is going on.

Dorè’s painting of Virgil and Beatrice made in 1857 and was all painted in black in white. Beatrice has a glowing circle around herself and especially over her head. It almost appears as a sun behind her. This is another representation of her godly self since she is the only one with light behind her. There are thin fine lines surrounding her entire body which emphasizes the fact that she is holy, godly, and heavenly. The light also serves as an allegorical representation of purity which Beatrice is.  She is pointing on to the sky to the far left right, likeshe is telling Virgil that he should head in this direction. You can see her petite figure through this dress/robe she is wearing, and it looks like she is holding the end of her dress with her right hand. When looking at this painting it looks like Beatrice has long dark hair with her hair parted in the middle. Her facial expression looks serious but also attentive. Virgil’s face is not seen in this painting, but he is also wearing a leaf crown with a thick and long robe around him. Virgil appears to be pointing to Beatrice while his other hand is holding his robe. One cannot tell what Virgil’s facial expression is since it cannot be seen. Furthermore, the background looks like an abandoned forest with big trees. Beatrice and Virgil are talking to one another in the grass.  Additionally, the feelings and emotions one senses while looking at this painting is melancholy along with reassurance. Since the colors are black and white, there isn’t much happy emotion in the painting. Beatrice’s face is in between both sad and happy since she isn’t smiling or frowning.

Dorè’s painting of Virgil and Beatrice made in 1857 and was all painted in black in white. Beatrice has a glowing circle around herself and especially over her head. In lines 58-67 of canto 2, Beatrice says

O courteous Mantuan soul, whose fame still lasts

in the world and will last as far as the world will go,

my friend, not the friend of fortune, on the

deserted shore is so blocked in his journey that he

has turned back for fear;

and I am afraid that he may be already so lost

that I have risen too late to help him, according to

what I have heard of him in Heaven

It almost appears as a sun behind her. This is another representation of her godly self since she is the only one with light behind her. There are thin fine lines surrounding her entire body which emphasizes the fact that she is holy, godly, and heavenly. The light also serves as an allegorical representation of purity which Beatrice is.  She is pointing on to the sky to the far left right, like she is telling Virgil that he should head in this direction. You can see her petite figure through this dress/robe she is wearing, and it looks like she is holding the end of her dress with her right hand. When looking at this painting it looks like Beatrice has long dark hair with her hair parted in the middle. Her facial expression looks serious but also attentive. Virgil’s face is not seen in this painting, but he is also wearing a leaf crown with a thick and long robe around him. Virgil appears to be pointing to Beatrice while his other hand is holding his robe. One cannot tell what Virgil’s facial expression is since it cannot be seen. Furthermore, the background looks like an abandoned forest with big trees. Beatrice and Virgil are talking to one another in the grass. Additionally, the feelings and emotions one senses while looking at this painting is melancholy along with reassurance. Since the colors are black and white, there isn’t much happy emotion in the painting. Beatrice’s face is in between both sad and happy since she isn’t smiling or frowning.

The two painting were made almost three hundred years apart which explains why they were made this way. Giovanni Stradano made his painting during the Renaissance period which clarifies why some of the painting is dark. During this the Renaissance, many things were occurring in Italy. There were countless developments in philosophy, literature, music, art and science. He also used a dull color scheme which was popular during this time period. “Renaissance art showed the world around it that art could be used to show emotion in people as well. Additionally, painters using different shading techniques and color patterns, you could be able to showcase the mood of any setting” (Nix).  Moreover, art during the eighteenth century was based on realism/naturalism and impressionism. These are some of the methods Gustave used for his paintings. He used realism to capture the most romantic movement in his painting which was when he painted Beatrice. Impressionist art was a style pf painting that mostly French artists used. Gustave used this when he captured the image of both characters; people would see it as soon as they catch a glimpse of it. However, he didn’t use a lot of color but did include an outdoor scene.

Beatrice and Virgil painted by Giovanni Stradano is the painting that is most similar to episode 2 in the Inferno. His painting is the only one that includes the handmaidens Lucia and Rachel in a blurb above them, exactly like canto 2. The setting of this place is dark just as described in the episode. In lines 1- 3 Dante describes the setting “The day was departing, and the darkened air was releasing all living creatures on the earth from their toils; and I alone…” The entire background of the painting are dark colors associated with the color orange. Beatrice is very heavenly, and she does represent divine love as shown in the Divine Comedy. She is symbolic of the spiritual love that a benevolent God has for us. She is the bright light that Dante wanders through hell in search of. She is his salvation.

Works Cited

Alighieri, Dante, et al. The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri. Oxford University Press, 2011.

Artstor. “Artstor.” Library.artstor.org, library.artstor.org/#/collection/87729441.

“Jan Van Der Straet (Stradanus).” Jan Van Der Straet (Stradanus) Biography – Jan Van Der       Straet (Stradanus) on Artnet, stradanus/biography.

Nix, Cameron. “Renaissance Art Changing Society.” Prezi.com, 14 Sept. 2012,     prezi.com/k7kjcfmhdndf/renaissance-art-changing-society/.

“Painting & Artists Inspired by Dante Alighieri’s Inferno.” Florence Inferno, 24 Mar. 2015,         www.florenceinferno.com/artworks/.

Stradanus (1523-1605), Court Artist of the Medici,  Brepols Publishers: Publication Detail,         www.brepols.net/Pages/ShowProduct.aspx?prod_id=IS-

The World of Dante, www.worldofdante.org/gallery_dore.html.