V canto dell’Inferno (Paolo e Francesca)

The artwork is inspired by the story of Paolo and Francesca, as told in Canto V of Dante’s Divine Comedy. I conceived the piece by merging the two figures into a single form, becoming “One” in the name of Love, rising within a dramatic black “frame” (like their story), yet “torn open” by golden streaks—symbols of the Light of Love.

The connection between the moon and Love is deep and universal, representing the most intimate and profound emotional dimension. The doves symbolize their loving union, their irresistible passion, and their mutual devotion.

The title of the work, “Canto V of the Inferno,” refers to the place where Dante situates Paolo and Francesca in the Divine Comedy, but I also chose it with a touch of irony: as great as Dante is, he remains a man of the Middle Ages, shaped by his time—and so… Love will never truly belong to a “canto of Hell”!