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The Inferno, after the Fresco in the Camposanto of Pisa

Italian 15th Century

1490

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Renaissance Allegory

Dominant colour

The Inferno, after the Fresco in the Camposanto of Pisa is a 1490 ink by Italian 15th Century, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Italian 15th Century
When & what style?: 1490 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image is a busy black-and-white print. It shows a chaotic scene with lots of twisted bodies, fire, and strange creatures. People are screaming, clawing at each other, or falling into pits. The lines are sharp and packed together, making everything look crowded and scary. The title says it’s about *The Inferno*—that’s the first circle of hell from a famous poem. The artist used tiny, repeated lines to build up dark shapes, which makes the scene feel even more intense. Want to see how this technique works? Look up engraving.

About the artist

Artist

Italian 15th Century

This anonymous Italian engraver from the 1490s carved images that could be peeled apart like paper dolls—each knot in the "First Knot" print was cut from a single sheet so you could lift the loops right off the page.

See the richer artist page