God seen as a master craftsman, forming the world, or a symbol of reason drawn from Blake’s own personal mythology? A painting explained.
narrative
Guards throwing dice in the Crucifixion, gambling in Bosch’s vision of Hell, in a dingy tavern, losing an entire estate, and being played by young street urchins.
They descend past Plutus to the circle of misers and spendthrifts rolling boulders around, then down to the Stygian lake of the angry and miserable. They cross the Styx in Phlegyas’ boat.
Gates opened in time of war, entered by Christ in triumph, those of hell in Dante and Milton, separating lovers, and marking the start of an elopement.
Now known as one of the leading illustrators of children’s books, he was also an accomplished and recognised painter. Here are some narratives from his early career.
First Dante and Virgil have to negotiate the three-headed monster dog Cerberus, guarding Hell, then the stinking mud containing gluttons.
Every painter should have a suit of armour hanging in their studio, and those of German Romantics, Pre-Raphaelites and others, of Don Quixote.
Worn by Mars, Athena/Minerva and Bellona, it also featured in the war against Troy. It was worn by Joan of Arc, and by Lovis Corinth too.
Passing Minos, who directs the dead to the right circle for their sins, they enter the circle for those guilty of lust. There they hear the story of Paolo and Francesca and their violent deaths.
Dante and Virgil enter the first circle of Hell, Limbo, where those who never sinned but weren’t baptised in the Christian faith are confined.
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