The Punishment of the Simonists 1868

"The Punishment of the Simonists" is a powerful black and white etching created by Gustave Doré in 1868, a chilling illustration for Dante's *Inferno*. It depicts a scene from Canto XIX of the epic poem, in which souls are punished for simony (the buying and selling of spiritual offices). The scene is set in a dark, hellish landscape, and the tortured figures of the damned are depicted with dramatic detail, conveying their suffering and despair. Doré's mastery of detail and his use of light and shadow bring the scene to life and make it a truly unforgettable image, a powerful reflection of the religious fears of the time.