Dante Alighieri 1965

Hryhorii Havrylenko made this pen and ink drawing of Dante Alighieri at some point during his career. The lines feel intuitive, like Havrylenko is thinking through the drawing. Look at the cross-hatching that creates the shadows and the drapery of the clothes, how they suggest volume without closing in on themselves. Then there are the lines that make up the stripes on his tunic which vibrate like a Bridget Riley op-art painting! I find myself trying to follow a single line, but it just loops back in on itself, kind of like Dante's own journey through hell. The ink creates a stark contrast and bold presence and reminds me a bit of the work of Alfred Kubin. Both artists use a limited tonal range to create dynamic compositions, but where Kubin delves into nightmarish visions, Havrylenko seems to have a softer and more humanist take on the world.