Ugolino and Archbishop Ruggieri

gustavedore

photography

tree

black and white format

b w

charcoal art

photography

black and white theme

portrait reference

highly detailed

black and white

repetition of black colour

natural form

intricate and detailed

"Ugolino and Archbishop Ruggieri" is a dramatic wood engraving by Gustave Doré, a celebrated French artist known for his illustrations of literary works. The artwork depicts a harrowing scene from Dante's *Inferno*, specifically Canto XXXI, where the starved Count Ugolino gnaws on the skull of his betrayer, Archbishop Ruggieri. Doré's mastery of detail and chiaroscuro effectively conveys the torment of the damned, with the figures submerged in a dark, swirling sea of torment. This powerful illustration is a testament to Doré's ability to bring to life the horrors of Dante's vision of Hell, capturing the intensity of the narrative in a striking and unforgettable image.