The circle of the Lustful, 1826-1827, William Blake

The painter William Blake was known to be an English poet, painter, and printmaker. He was complimented for his work during the romantic era. In the early days, when he was studying the brush, he worked under James Basire, his art teacher, until he was 21 years old. Later on in his career, becoming a professional engraver. In this painting, he shows a scene from Hell’s second circle, Limbo. Showing the two lovers Paolo and Francesca above Virgil’s head and Dante lying fainted on the ground (He does that a lot throughout the text).  Paolo’s brother, Gianciottois was married to Francesca but Francesca and Poalo in an act of overheated love kissed each other. After the kiss he killed them both with his sword. Their punishment is being in a storm, forever carrying the souls in hell that committed an act of lust. You can say that the storm represents the tempests of passion the souls felt in life. And just like any other storm,it is unpredictable in its actions. And you can say that the desire Francesca felt for Paolo was like a storm. There is another title for this work and it’s called “The Whirlwind of Lovers”. It is the two of them in the whirlwind kissing for eternity,  Blake uses a technique to indicate their movement in the well-defined tube.  Which didn’t become popular until the 1900s. The moon is very bright, blinding Virglis head and inside the moon is Paolo and Francesca, as if they are the main topic and center of this painting. The background is very dark, showing the eeriness and gloomlyness  of Hell, The whirlwind is lighter showing all the souls being sucked in the tunnel. But at the top of the tunnel it is slightly darker than the end of the tunnel.

Capaneus the Blasphemer, 1824-1827, William Blake

William Blake paints Capaneus the Blasphemer to show what would happen when committing violence against God leading to divine punishment. The people in Blake’s painting are Dante, Virgil, and Capaneus. Capaneus is doused and enclosed in flames and also being struck by lightning while looking unfazed. In Dante’s inferno, Dante and Virgil are now in the third ring of the seventh circle. This is for the souls who have committed violence against God. Capaneus was one of the seven kings who closed in on the city of Thebes. He defined God and was killed by a strike of lightning. Not bothered by the flames, Dante describes him as lying “proud and disdainful”. This painting represented the doom of Capaneus after blaspheming God, which led him to his punishment.  The Painting has a lot of bright colors that pop out. To the fire, the lighting, and the clothing of Dante and Virgil.