Ciampolo the Barrator Tormented by the Devils (from Dante's "Divine Comedy") 1824 - 1827

Curator: Let’s turn our attention to William Blake’s “Ciampolo the Barrator Tormented by the Devils,” inspired by Dante’s “Divine Comedy,” and currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Wow, it's like a raw nerve exposed. The figures, caught in this pale watercolor, feel both ethereal and agonizing. Curator: Blake, born in 1757, was deeply invested in printmaking and illustration as tools to disseminate his unique visionary poetics, challenging the academic hierarchy of painting. This piece reflects that ethos, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. The raw strokes, the barely-there color, it's all so immediate, like he's trying to bypass the intellect and go straight for the gut. It's a visceral response to Dante's text, not just an illustration. Curator: The materiality here—the paper, the watercolor—is essential. Blake uses them not to create illusion, but to reveal process, labor, and a direct engagement with spiritual themes. Editor: I feel like I can almost hear the shrieks and feel the torment, a kind of terrifying beauty in its imperfection. Curator: Indeed, Blake transforms Dante's narrative into a potent exploration of human suffering, both physical and spiritual, using simple materials to profound effect. Editor: Leaving us with that unsettling feeling of exposure, maybe a glimpse of our own shadows.