Zwei Liebespaare (oben Francesca und Paolo, gemeinsam im zweiten Höllenkreis schwebend_) 

This is Victor Müller's study of two pairs of lovers, rendered in pencil, exploring themes of love and damnation. Müller, working in the 19th century, was deeply engaged with historical and literary themes that reflected the Romantic era's fascination with emotion and drama. Here, Müller seeks to capture the tragic tale of Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta, characters from Dante's Inferno, punished in hell for their adulterous love. During the nineteenth-century, there was a tendency to sentimentalize or eroticize such moments, turning Dante’s cautionary tale into a romantic tragedy. Müller’s sketch conveys both tenderness and turmoil. The figures are entwined yet seem to struggle within the confines of the page, their embrace a symbol of both comfort and eternal suffering. This approach reflects the complex attitudes of the time towards love, morality, and the representation of women within these narratives. Müller navigates a space between condemnation and empathy, prompting us to consider the societal constraints that shaped Francesca’s fate and the complex dynamics of desire and transgression.