Silvio Bicchi (1877 – 1949)
Dante Incontra Farinata Degli Uberti, 1899-1900
Oil on Canvas
(stretched on an older canvas)
(stretched on an older canvas)
H 39 x W 56 cm
H 15 1/3 x W 22 inch
H 15 1/3 x W 22 inch
Firenze, 1899-1900
Preparatory oil sketch for the large version in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, Milan - Sala XXVII (Sala Mosè Bianchi) n.12 Signed, upper left corner: Silvio Bicchi
Preparatory oil sketch for the large version in the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana, Milan - Sala XXVII (Sala Mosè Bianchi) n.12 Signed, upper left corner: Silvio Bicchi
This expressive oil sketch depicts one of the most dramatic episodes of Dante’s Inferno (Canto X). In the centre foreground, the heretic Farinata degli Uberti rises defiantly from his fiery...
This expressive oil sketch depicts one of the most dramatic episodes of Dante’s Inferno (Canto X). In the centre foreground, the heretic Farinata degli Uberti rises defiantly from his fiery tomb, his naked torso emerging against a glowing backdrop of orange and red. His right arm is extended in a commanding gesture, while his head tilts upward in dialogue. Opposite him stands Dante, wrapped in a deep red mantle, his bowed profile illuminated by the light of the flames. His pose is quiet and contemplative, contrasting with Farinata’s agitation. Slightly behind, to the right, the figure of Virgil is suggested in shadow, standing, bathed in infernal light.