Canto XXXIII. The Tenth Sphere: The Empyrean; Saint Bernard's Prayer to the Virgin; The Vision of God c. 15th century

Curator: Let's dive into this page from an early edition of Dante's *Divine Comedy*. The density of the text and the single woodcut image... it's a whole universe packed onto a single page, isn’t it? Editor: It certainly is! This is Canto XXXIII, with an illustration depicting Saint Bernard's prayer to the Virgin Mary. It's interesting how the woodcut seems to capture the essence of the divine. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The woodcut feels almost like a diagram of Dante's spiritual journey, doesn't it? You have the earthly figures below, the Virgin Mary mediating in the center, and the celestial realm above, all connected. The image is a window onto the medieval mind, visualizing the cosmos. Editor: So, it's more than just an illustration; it’s a symbolic representation of Dante's beliefs? Curator: Precisely! It speaks volumes about faith, hierarchy, and the yearning for divine connection that permeated the era. Editor: It’s amazing how much a single page can convey. Curator: Indeed, and we have barely scratched the surface.