Alighieri, Dante (Author) & Blake, William (Illustrator)

Inferno

London: The Folio Society, 2004.
Illustrated by William Blake. Hardcover.

The First Folio Society edition was published in 1998. This edition is a 2004 printing of that edition in a more deluxe binding. Translated by Henry Francis Cary. Introduced by Robin Hamlyn. With thirty-two color illustrations from watercolors by William Blake. Printed at The Folio Society in Monotype Walbaum. Printed by Bath Press Colourbooks on Book Design Smooth paper bound at the Bath Press, Bath, in Nigerian goatskin leather with Moire silk sides.

Henry Francis Cary first published a translation of the Inferno, in two parts, in 1805-6. His translation of the complete Divina Commedia, entitled The Vision; or Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, of Dante Alighieri was first published in 1814. A revised second edition was published in 1819 and reprinted in 1831 without any alterations by Cary. The text of this Folio Society edition of the Inferno is taken from this 1831 printing.

In the present edition, both spelling (except for that of proper names) and capitalization have been amended in accordance with modern conventions. The use of quotations marks for speech has also been modernized, although the rest of the original punctuation has been retained

Cary’s notes related to the Inferno, including historical and biographical information on figures and events in the poem and the allegorical significance of many others, noted biblical and classical allusions, and comparisons with Dante’s other work and the imitative writing of other authors are included.

In Inferno, this first part of Dante’s 14^th century three-part epic poem Divine Comedy, Dante is guided by Virgil on his journey of redemption through the nine concentric circles of torment that comprise Hell. Blake’s illustrations, commissioned by John Linnell in 1826, reflect his personal parallel vision of Dante’s quest and God’s purpose.

Very Fine. Item #901036

8-7/8 x 12-7/8”, one-quarter Nigerian goatskin, blue moire silk over boards, brown top-edge, brown endpapers with the warning “ALLHOPEABANDONYEWHOENTERHERE”, xviii, 151pp, notes, 32 full-page color illustrations from watercolors, 1 black & white engraved illustration of Hell from an edition of Dante’s Divina Commedia published in Padua in 1822.

A crisp, bright copy, very fine in slip-case.

Price: $150.00