Dante Striking Against Bocca degli Abati Possibly 1826 - 1968

Editor: Here we have William Blake’s "Dante Striking Against Bocca degli Abati." It’s an engraving and I find the contrast between the figures on the left and the faces emerging from the landscape so striking. What stands out to you? Curator: Notice how Blake embeds faces into the landscape itself. He uses the landscape to externalize inner emotional states, doesn't he? Consider the cultural memory of betrayal Dante explores. Does Blake amplify Dante's emotional landscape through visual symbols? Editor: That's a great point. The faces do seem to be suffering, trapped almost. I hadn't considered that those faces might be embodiments of the betrayal itself. Curator: These symbols become mirrors reflecting not just Dante's journey, but also our own anxieties about treachery and its consequences. Editor: That makes me see it completely differently; it’s about psychological states, made vividly present. Thanks! Curator: It's powerful how Blake taps into such deep-seated fears, isn't it?