Canto XXI. Circle 8: Bolgia 5 / The Grafters; The Demons called Malebranche; Malaecoda c. 15th century

Curator: This page, residing in the Harvard Art Museums, depicts Canto XXI from Dante's Inferno. It's an anonymous work, illustrating the bolgia of the Grafters. Editor: It looks so busy! The composition is dense, almost claustrophobic. Is that a lake of pitch? Curator: Indeed. This is Circle 8, Bolgia 5: a lake of boiling pitch where the grafters—those who abused their public office—are immersed. The Malebranche demons guard them, preventing escape. Notice the bridge motif. Editor: So, the bridge is a symbol? Maybe representing the broken trust or connection between the grafters and society? And the demons... are they a visual representation of the consequences of corruption? Curator: Precisely. The materials used—ink and paper—are humble, yet they serve to illustrate a powerful condemnation of societal corruption. It's a potent example of how art can be a vehicle for social commentary, even without a known author. Editor: It really makes you consider the labor involved in producing and reproducing imagery and texts that critique power. It’s a nice reminder of art's enduring role in holding a mirror up to society.