Canto XXXI. The Tenth Sphere: The Empyrean; The Mystic Rose; The Angel Hosts; Beatrice Leaves Dante; St. Bernard c. 15th century

Curator: Here, we have an illustration titled "Canto XXXI. The Tenth Sphere: The Empyrean; The Mystic Rose; The Angel Hosts; Beatrice Leaves Dante; St. Bernard." It's an anonymous work, and it resides in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's so intricate! The composition feels very ordered, almost mathematical, yet the overall impression is dreamlike. Curator: It depicts a scene from Dante's Paradiso, showcasing his vision of the highest sphere of Heaven. Notice how the rose is rendered, layer upon layer. Editor: The figures nestled within the rose are fascinating. They give a sense of depth. Curator: The artist meticulously arranges figures and architectural details. The text surrounding it adds to its structural intensity. Editor: I like how the stark black-and-white contrast creates a celestial mood. It feels both grounded and ethereal at once. Curator: Indeed, the materiality of the print, combined with the allegorical subject, invites sustained visual analysis, one that reveals a complex symbolic order. Editor: It’s like a snapshot of a vision, carefully translated into a precise, yet inspiring, visual language. It makes you feel you are in the empyrean.