Paradiso Canto 2 

Curator: Welcome. We're here to discuss Gustave Doré's "Paradiso Canto 2." Editor: It feels instantly ethereal. That hazy, dreamlike rendering... like peering through a veil. Is it a watercolor? Curator: It's actually an engraving, which accounts for the precision within the delicate tonal gradations. Look at how Doré uses crosshatching to define form and volume, especially in the robes of the figures. Editor: These women feel remarkably uniform. Note the repetition of elongated figures, likely intentional as idealized and sanitized figures meant to embody Dante's and the Catholic Church's complex and often misogynistic idea of female virtue. It makes one think about the limited roles prescribed to women, especially within religious structures. Curator: Certainly, one could read it that way, but the visual hierarchy is important. See how Dante is physically lower, kneeling even? It reinforces a specific theological relationship. The light seems to emanate from these celestial beings, not Dante himself. It creates a sense of the divine. Editor: But is that "divine light" perhaps a metaphor for enlightenment granted only through adherence to certain power structures? Who gets to define what's sacred, and what perspectives are left in the shadows, literally and figuratively within the composition? The scarcity of diverse or even relatable bodies or figures of any kind in established and celebrated religious depictions is concerning and directly represents a power imbalance, as does the medium itself, when looking at who could afford or even access art, education and materials at the time. Curator: Well, whether a divine beacon or representation of the ruling classes' power structures, the overall effect achieves visual sublimity. The wispy lines and shading create a fantastic sense of scale. The space seems infinite, which is in itself symbolic. Editor: Exactly! "Symbolic" and limited to those already familiar or historically adjacent. The inaccessibility in his process and content may overshadow Doré's intent for contemporary audiences, even when examining his impressive talent and scale within the canon. Curator: Agreed. The artwork provides avenues for discourse when viewed through the lenses of art history or critical theory. Editor: Precisely, we benefit most when applying varied perspectives to well-known works, gaining a better awareness and updated understanding of the art and ourselves.