Dante and Virgil Approaching the Angel Who Guards the Entrance of Purgatory 1824 - 1827

Curator: William Blake’s watercolor, "Dante and Virgil Approaching the Angel Who Guards the Entrance of Purgatory," held here at Tate Britain, presents a pivotal moment from Dante’s journey. Editor: It feels like a threshold, not just physically with the doorway, but emotionally. The subdued palette and the figures’ posture suggest a profound sense of anticipation mixed with dread. Curator: Absolutely. Blake masterfully uses the angel figure—its luminosity versus the darkness of the rocky entrance—to symbolize divine judgment and the potential for spiritual ascent. The symbols of purgatory are palpable. Editor: I see that, but those cloud formations… they almost overshadow the angel, visually implying a larger, perhaps more systemic, oppression that Dante and Virgil are up against. Curator: A valid point. Blake often intertwined personal and universal symbolism, allowing viewers to interpret layers of meaning, drawing on deeply engrained cultural memory. Editor: Blake’s radicalism seeps through. He challenges us to question not just individual morality, but also the power structures that define it. Curator: Indeed, and the enduring appeal of this piece lies in its ability to provoke such reflection across centuries. Editor: It leaves you pondering the accessibility, or inaccessibility, of redemption.