The artwork titled “Illustration to the Divine Comedy (Inferno)” was created by Sandro Botticelli in 1480. This piece is crafted using metalpoint and pen on parchment and is part of the Early Renaissance art movement. It belongs to a series of illustrations made for the “Divine Comedy” between the 1480s and 1490s. Presently housed in the Vatican Library (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana) in the Vatican, the artwork classifies as an illustration genre.
The artwork depicts a detailed scene from the Inferno section of Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy.” Figures in the foreground don flowing robes of red and blue, interacting in various expressive poses. Surrounding them are a multitude of tombs, some of which are open to reveal inhabitants set amidst flames. The composition is meticulous, with architectural elements such as walls and gates adding to the complexity of the illustration. The use of metalpoint and pen contributes to the fine detailing evident throughout the piece, capturing the somber and intricate nature of the underworld as envisaged by Dante and brought to life by Botticelli.
