"Canto 1: The Divine Comedy." 2000 Relief Etching. 19cm x 6cm Paper: Hahnemule Edition 50

An illustration of a section of the first canto from the epic poem "The Divine Comedy 1: Hell" by the Italian poet Dante (1265-1321). The section of the poem the print illustrates is lines 28 to 36:

28 After my weary body I had rested,
29 The way resumed I on the desert slope,
30 So that the firm foot ever was the lower.

31 And lo! almost where the ascent began,
32 A panther light and swift exceedingly,
33 Which with a spotted skin was covered o'er!

34 And never moved she from before my face,
35 Nay, rather did impede so much my way,
36 That many times I to return had turned.

Notes on the print: One of the first prints I produced with the relief etching technique. In drawing the picture I tried to combine the style of Graham Sutherlands early etchings with that of the comic artist Jim Woodring whose crisp drawings on his Frank stories I refernced for the tree tops.

Notes on the colour: The plate is first printed from its reverse in a raw sienna tone and then the front of the plate is printed in black over that.