Citings & Sightings of Dante's Works in Contemporary Culture
First in a series of historical thrillers featuring Dante Alighieri as investigator of crimes in 14th century Florence, the other novels are I delitti del mosaico; I delitti della luce; and La crociata delle tenebre.
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Contributed by Piergiorio Niccolazzini, PNLA Literary Agency
This delicious version of Dante’s Inferno was found on the “What Cakes May Come” Flickr page.
Contributed by Gretchen Williams (Bowdoin ’14)
This anthology of some 20 short pieces focuses on each of the contributors’ most memorable meals. In La Divina Commedia Amy Bloom recounts her quest for the ultimate lasagna, recoiling in horror from the oxymoronic “dieter’s lasagna.” She writes: “I am looking for the perfect lasagna, making my way through cookbooks at midnight, ready for heartbreak but hopeful, like Dante seeking Beatrice.” [. . .] —Amy Bloom
“This extraordinary painting depicting 103 figures from world history in striking detail has become the latest internet hit.
“Message boards have erupted with contests to identify all those featured, who range from instantly recognisable figures like Gandhi to some more obscure figures such as Liu Xiang, the Chinese hurdler who limped out of the Beijing Olympics in the summer.
“An element of mystery also surrounds that origins of the picture, which appears to have drawn inspiration from Raphael’s Renaissance fresco The School of Athens. [. . .]
“Another clue comes from the three undistinguished men in contemporary dress who survey the scene from behind a wall at the top right of the picture.
“Internet detectives have identified these three as little-known Chinese/Taiwanese artists named as Dudu, Li Tiezi, and Zhang An.
“They created the oil painting – titled Discussing the Divine Comedy with Dante – in 2006, although it has only become a viral internet hit in the past few weeks.
“Alastair Sooke, art writer at The Daily Telegraph, said that the work reflected a trend of contemporary Chinese artists adopting Western styles and subjects.
“‘But the Dante reference makes us wonder whether we are looking at some nether-circle deep inside the Inferno: this is a vision of Celebrity Hell,’ he added.” —Matthew Moore, London Daily Telegraph, 16 March 2009
Click here to view a high-resolution, annotated version of the painting. Dante may be seen with his Commedia in the upper right hand corner of the painting, standing among the three artists.
Second series of Doctor Who, Episodes 8 and 9: The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit
