Dante's Inferno

700 years of Dante Alighieri, 700 years of "Comedia"; a "divine" work that gives pride and fame to the Italian language. A poem that deals with various themes with a special taste to classical imagery and history, but also descending into dark descriptions of human's sorrows. Stripped of its classic sophistication, socio-political irreverence and Christian mythology the only thing left is man: never at the center of the medieval universe, but in this graphic reinterpretation of Inferno (Hell) they are. Their frailties, their pain and errors are the foundation of the underworld: because Hell is already on Earth and we are both jailers and convicts, all under the same star that rises and sets.

The following six pieces are the artistic series in its entirety: watercolour paintings realized with classical watercolours, metallic watercolours and ink on cold pressed paper 19 cm x 21 cm.

Blasphemy - Blasphemy

Of naked souls I saw many flocks that weep all very miserably, and it seemed a different law had been set for them. Supin lay some people on the ground, some sat down all gathered, and others went continually. . (Canto XIV) ________________________ Whoever violates what is natural to impose a blind artificial orthodoxy, perpetrating hatred, discrimination and destruction, will be left burnt by their own hatred. Whoever violates what is natural to impose a blind artificial orthodoxy, perpetrating hatred and destruction, will burn with his own hatred.

Phlegethon - Phlegethon

«Ma ficca li occhi a valle, ché s'approccia
la riviera del sangue in la qual bolle
qual che per violenza in altrui noccia».

Oh cieca cupidigia e ira folle,
che sì ci sproni ne la vita corta,
e ne l'etterna poi sì mal c’immolle!
[…]
Or ci movemmo con la scorta fida
lungo la proda del bollor vermiglio,
dove i bolliti facieno alte strida

(Canto XII)
________________________

Whoever tears off the life of others is left marked by that blood.

Chi strappa la vita al prossimo rimane marchiato da quel sangue.

Suicide Forest - Suicide Forest

Then I put my hand forward a little and plucked a ramicel from a large bush; and his trunk shouts: "Why are you crashing me?" From what he became of brown blood, he began again to say: "Why are you scrapping me?" Have you no spirit of pity? Men we were, and now we are made twigs: well your hand ought to be more pious, if we were souls of snakes ». (Canto XIII) ________________________ A thrown away existence is like a dead tree, it loses its vitality and leaves behind a fossil of sadness. An existence thrown away is like a dry tree, it loses its vitality and leaves behind a fossil of sadness.

Styx - Styx

In the swamp goes there has the name Styx this sad brook, when he descended at the foot of the evil gray beaches. And I, who was meant to look, saw muddy people in that quagmire, all naked, with an offended semblance. These struck each other not with the hand, but with the head and chest and feet, severing each other with their teeth bit by bit. (Canto VIl) ________________________ Wrath brings you in a swamp of tears and mud, where there is no one fighting for you. Anger leads to a swamp of tears and mud, where no one is left to fight with you.

Malebolgia

I saw it for the coasts and the bottom full of the livid stone of holes, each one wide and each one was round. Out of the mouth of each one of the sinners he slapped the feet and of the legs up to the bulk, and there was something else inside. (Canto XIX) When our image of near I saw so cake, that 'The weeping of the eyes the buttocks wet for the fool. (Canto XX) ________________________ By keeping on cheating you will also lose your direction. By continuing to cheat you will also lose your direction.

Cocytus - Cocytus

Because I turned around, and saw in front of me and under my feet a lake that for frost had glass and not semblant water (Canto XXXII). , turns inside to raise the embassy; because the first tears make a lump, and so like crystal visors, they fill the whole tile under the eyelashes.  (Canto XXXIII) ________________________ When a heart is unable to care for others, even tears freeze. When a heart is unable to care for loved ones, even tears freeze.