This, the first work Delacroix submitted to the Paris Salon, draws on an episode from Dante’s Divine Comedy, written in Italy in the thirteenth and fourteenth century. Virgil, the Latin poet, is taking the author on a journey of initiation. Delacroix chose this scene to reflect his vision of humanity which he felt had lost its bearings.
The scene takes place in Hell. Note the red glow of eternal hellfire in the background and the ghastly pallor of the dead in the foreground, symbolizing all the horror of the underworld. Take a close look at the painting to see the writhing bodies and terrified expressions of the dead, naked, their eyes wide with fear and their faces contorted with pain. We sense the pain and terror of the damned souls that try in vain to cling to the barque. In the midst of this chaos are the two poets. Dante is wearing a red cap, while Virgil’s face is framed by a swathe of white cloth. They are standing in the barque, observing the chaos all around them. Note, in the center of the painting, their hands, so close they might almost be touching. |
