The artwork, “L’enfer de Dante: Damnes pris dans les glaces,” created by Bernard Buffet in 1976, belongs to the Expressionism art movement and falls under the genre of literary painting. The artwork is a powerful depiction of a scene from Dante’s “Inferno,” illustrating the damned souls trapped in the icy realm of Hell.
The composition exudes a haunting and desolate atmosphere. The figures portrayed are gaunt and emaciated, with anguished expressions and contorted postures, reflecting the torment they endure. Ice and jagged formations dominate the background, enhancing the sense of confinement and cold despair. A prominent figure in a white robe stands among the damned, adding a poignant element of contrast. The use of harsh lines and stark tones underscores the agony and suffering depicted, characteristic of the Expressionist style. The overall effect is one of profound emotional intensity, capturing the essence of Dante’s infernal vision through Buffet’s distinctive artistic lens.
