This is an assortment of illustrated versions of Dante's Divine Comedy.

On face value alone these mini-marvels will please many.

But then these graphic editions are attributed to some well-respected names in art history, eg Blake and Dali.

Blake's piece has been culled from a 19th century edition.

Blake depicts figures on all fours, struggling up a mountainous crevice, buckled by back-packs. His subject is given by the title 'The Proud Bearing Their Heavy Load'.

That may well have suited an upstanding Victorian readership well-used to the hard graft of industrialisation.

Dali's entry comes from a 20th century edition. His subject is Dante himself.

Again it seems to suit the century. Crowned with laurels, Dante looks Caesar-like.

This is the all-conquering individual rather than, as with Blake, a communal subject.

Grotesque

There are many other examples, eg Vecchietta'a 15th century version, which plays on the more base instincts of its particular readership: the sheer terror of a grotesque child-eating monster.

Anyway, the joy here is not Dante, his Divine Comedy, Dali or any of this. It's the art.

Remember the art? Abstract emotions (pride, anguish, etc) are never described easily with words but here they're expressed brilliantly through pen and ink, brush and paint.

Good, old, art.

The full review was first published in City Life edition 544. Buy a copy via the link below.

Portico Gallery, Mosley Street, City centre (236 6785). Open Mon-Fri 9.30am-4.30pm

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