Dante and Virgil Meeting The Shades of Francesca Da Rimini and Paolo
1851
Scheffer brings Dante’s Inferno to life with this haunting depiction of tragic lovers Paolo and Francesca, forever swept up in a violent storm in the Second Circle of Hell. On the right, Dante (wearing his iconic red robe) and his guide Virgil watch the couple drift by, their pale bodies intertwined in an eternal, desperate embrace that defies the darkness around them. Painted in 1851, this Romantic masterpiece captures the raw emotion and supernatural drama that defined the era, turning a literary punishment into a visually stunning moment of eternal longing that still gives viewers chills today.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
Location: Wallace Collection, London
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