with love, dante and virgil

November is here and I wouldn’t mind burning in hell to combat this Swedish cold.
But speaking of burning in hell…

A literary scene from the book The Divine Comedy (Inferno) by Dante Alighieri which depicts two damned souls in an eternal combat.

French artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau (30.11.1825 – 19.8.1905) did an amazing job with the ambience of hell in his painting. You can hear the scream and maybe even feel the pain and agony inflicted on Capocchio by Schicci. But not only the scream of Capocchio, but from the souls visible in the background with the sound of crackling fire resembling a bonfire is remarkable and visually loud through this stunning piece of art.

Bouguereau’s technique and talent of working with light in his paintings is so.. I don’t even know how to explain it. Words won’t give his genius the proper description. It simply must be experienced.
The subtletly of said light is nothing short of perfect and it highlights what needs to be highlighted in an impeccable and foolproof way. I am so happy that Bouguereau decided to become an artist and a painter.
If an exhibition of his art were to come to Stockholm, I would probably be the first one entering the venue where his art would be displayed.

And can you imagine that Bouguereau created this piece of pure beauty as an entry to the Prix de Rome?
His third attempt to win a French scholarship for art students and fucking LOST?

Being kicked in the back and the back of your ribs, bitten in the neck, your left arm almost being dislocated with nails dug in to your flesh? This scene reminds me of the many bar fights one have witnessed. Good times!

Other paintings I’ve written about:
William-Adolphe Bouguereau
Portrait of a black woman
Dresden and the moonlight
A murder
Carl Vilhelm Holsøe
The swing

If you wish to learn more: https://www.bouguereau.org