medievalpoc: Priamo della Quercia, Dante Alighieri Dante and Virgil from The Divine Comedy Italy (c.
medievalpoc:Priamo della Quercia, Dante AlighieriDante and Virgil from The Divine ComedyItaly (c. 1444-1450)Illuminated ManuscriptWhat you’re seeing is one of the original manuscripts of The Divine Comedy, sometimes referred to as “Dante’s Inferno”. The Black man in the pink robes is Virgil (Vergil), Dante’s guide and educator in the land of the dead and the circles of hell. He’s one of the more important characters in this masterwork of Medieval literature, and represents the early Renaissance revival of Classical values and virtues. In the fifth image, you can see Dante being introduced by Virgil to the great poets of Antiquity.It’s also notable that the cast of characters present in this Medieval book represent a variety of skin tones and hair textures. In fact, this tome from 1444 boasts more diversity than many modern printings and illustrations for the same book today.Virgil was noticeably whitewashed in Gustav Dore’s engraved plates from the 1830’s, which can be viewed here, and from the website:Gustave Doré’s (1832-1883) illustrations and Dante’s Divine Comedy have become so intimately connected that even today, nearly 150 years after their initial publication, the artist’s rendering of the poet’s text still determines our vision of the Commedia.Yep.It just goes to show that history is not a linear progression from “worse” to “better” in regard to racial diversity in the arts and literature.And yes, according to Suetonius’ Life of Virgil, he was ‘dark of complexion’.You can view all of the Illustrations for this book here at the British Library’s Catalogue of Medieval Manuscripts.1. Detail of a miniature of Dante and Virgil being rowed by Charon across the river Acheron, by Priamo della Quercia, from Dante Alighieri’s Divina Commedia, Italy (Tuscany or Siena?), between 1444 and c. 1450, Yates Thompson 36, f. 62. Detail of an historiated initial ‘N’ of Dante and Virgil in a dark wood, with four half-length figures representing Justice, Power, Peace and Temperance.3. Detail of a miniature of Dante and Virgil standing before the gates of Hell, with the three sainted ladies, Beatrice, Lucia, and Rachel, floating in clouds above, in illustration of Canto II.4. Detail of a miniature of Dante and Virgil in the vestibolo, in illustration of Canto III.5. Detail of a miniature of Virgil introducing Dante to the poets of antiquity, Homer, Horace, Ovid and Lucan, in illustration of Canto IV.6. Detail of a miniature of Virgil addressing Paolo and Francesca, as Dante swoons in horror, in illustration of Canto V.7. Detail of a miniature of Virgil flinging earth in the jaws of Cerberus, in the third circle, that of rain, hail, wind and snow, in illustration of Canto VI.8. Detail of a miniature of Virgil holding Dante’s eyes to prevent him seeing the Gorgon pass, and Virgil and Dante entering the city of Dis, in illustration of Canto IX.9. Detail of a miniature of Dante and Virgil walking between the walls and the tombs in the city of Dis, and Dante conversing with Farinata degli Uberti and Guido Cavalcanti, who are in their sarcophagi, in illustration of Canto X.10. Detail of a miniature of Virgil speaking to Geryon, and Dante speaking to three souls standing under a shower of flames in the compartment of the usurers, in illustration of Canto XVII. -- source link
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