Illustration to the Divine Comedy Inferno

This study sketch features only Dante (in red) and Virgil (in blue) coloured and is titled Inferno X

Botticelli's depictions of hell fitted beautifully within the manunscript of Dante's Divine Comedy. During the Early Renaissance morality was a common theme within art, mainly due to the significance of religion within society.

This famous artist took on a large commission to illustrate this significant manuscript and added drawings alongside each "Canto", or song. Essentially, these were chapters across the book and he would draw on the inspirations of the creative writings in order to produce complementary artworks.

All of Botticelli's contributions to Dante's Divine Comedy were produced in pen and brown ink over metalpoint on vellum.

You will see from the contrast of this drawing that Virgil and Dante are the key focus, painted boldly, whilst the rest is left in faint underdrawing that provides structure to the composition but leaves all of the attention on the repeated characters across the sketch.

This famous artist is considered one of the finest draughtsman to have ever lived, sat closely alongside other Renaissance masters such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael. Da Vinci famously used his drawing skills to outline exciting new inventions whilst Michelangelo and Raphael would use them for architectural plans.

In comparison, Botticelli produced drawings either as standalone artworks by themselves, or in some cases as study pieces for later frescos.