Canto XXX. The Ascent to the Tenth Sphere: The Empyrean; The River of Light c. 15th century

Curator: This is an intriguing image from an early edition of Dante's *Paradiso*, titled "Canto XXX. The Ascent to the Tenth Sphere: The Empyrean; The River of Light." It’s unsigned, so the artist remains anonymous. What does this scene evoke for you? Editor: At first glance, it feels like a celestial tapestry woven from light and shadow. The figures are so stylized, almost floating. There’s a sense of otherworldly serenity mixed with formal rigidity. Curator: The woodcut technique certainly adds to that impression. The stark contrast emphasizes the divine light Dante describes in his poem. Note how the artist arranges the figures in tiers, suggesting the hierarchical nature of the Empyrean. Editor: And the architecture! The towers of Verona nestled among the stars give the image an unexpectedly earthly anchor. Is that meant to represent a bridge between the mortal and divine realms? Curator: Precisely. It reflects Dante's journey from earthly exile to divine understanding. The anonymous artist uses these symbolic structures to ground the abstract concept of ascending to the highest sphere of Heaven. Editor: It's a fascinating blend of the concrete and the ethereal. Something about the starkness of the medium emphasizes the striving, the yearning for something beyond. Curator: Yes, and perhaps also the limitations of human vision and representation when faced with the ineffable. Editor: Well said. It leaves me pondering how our own perspectives shape what we see, or want to see, in such a divine vision.