SALVADOR DALI “Virgil Comforts Dante” Woodblock Engraving from The Divine Comedy

Woodblock engraving print depicts Virgil comforting Dante from a series illustraiting The Divine Comedy by Salvador Dali. A light palette with delicate rust tones creates an ethereal feeling emanating from the piece. Signed in plate, blind stamp of editor Jean Estrada embossed on corner. 

Dali was commissioned by the Italian government in 1950  to create a complete work of these illustrations to commemorate the 700th anniversary of Dante’s birth. After much dispute amongst the government powers over Dali’s self-admitted questionable morality, the exhibition and commission were cancelled. Dali had already become obsessed with the concept, so he decided to work with French fine art publisher Joseph Forêt instead. In 1959, the limited edition books were published. In May of 1960, and exhibition of 100 original watercolors by Salvador Dali illustrated 12,000 verses from The Divine Comedy.

About the Artist:
Salvador Dali (1904-1989) was a surrealist painter best known for his melting clocks. Dali was born in Spain to a wealthy family who encouraged him to pursue art. He studied in Madrid and later relocated to France where he met Pablo Picasso. His painting’s typically featured dream-like motifs as he believed that dreams and imagination should take precedence over marginal human thought. Salvador Dali is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th-century.

This print is amongst hundreds of pieces of art that are available at our showroom in Grandview! Come in today and see the full collection.