William BLAKE<br/> <em>Dante running from the Three Beasts</em> (1824-1827) <!-- (recto) --><br /> illustration for <i>The Divine Comedy</i> by Dante Alighieri (<i>Inferno</i> I, 1-90)<br /> pen and ink and watercolour over pencil and black chalk<br /> 37.3 x 52.8 cm (image and sheet)<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Felton Bequest, 1920<br /> 988-3<br /> <!--26892-->

The Divine Comedy and William Blake Watercolours

The NGV owns thirty-six of the 102 watercolours William Blake executed in the 1820s to illustrate Dante’s Divine Comedy, which are regarded as among the artist’s finest and most impressive creations. Celebrating the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri, guests speakers from the Dante Alighieri Society and NGV Curator Cathy Leahy discuss William Blake’s watercolour illustrations based on the Italian poem, including a reading of the poem in Italian.

Speakers
Mary Marcuccio, Vice President, Dante Alighieri Society Melbourne
Cathy Leahy, NGV Senior Curator, Prints and Drawings
Dr Paolo Baracchi, Secretary, Dante Alighieri Society Melbourne
Dr Dominic Barbaro AM, President, Dante Alighieri Society Melbourne

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