The Circle of the Traitors; Dante's Foot Striking Bocca degli Abbate
1827
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From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1827
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This black-and-white drawing shows a group of people in a stormy, rocky landscape. One tall figure stands in the center, kicking a face-down man on the ground. Behind them, a hooded figure leans on a staff, and another stands to the right. The sky is wild with slashing lines, and the water below is choppy. The artist used sharp, crisscrossed lines to create dark shadows and texture—this is called cross-hatching. It makes the scene feel dramatic and chaotic. Next, check out how engraving works to see how artists like Blake built up layers of detail.
