The Circle of the Corrupt Officials; the Devils Tormenting Ciampolo. Inferno, canto XXII

The Circle of the Corrupt Officials; the Devils Tormenting Ciampolo. Inferno, canto XXII by William Blake English, 1757-1827, is a powerful example of the influential artist's final commissions, completed in the year of his death, 1827. This piece belongs to his famous series illustrating Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, a monumental project that occupied Blake in his later years. The work utilizes the intricate process of hand-colored engraving executed on India paper, which was then laid down on wove paper using the chine collé technique. This demanding process highlights the artist’s commitment to producing detailed, emotionally resonant prints.

Blake’s interpretation captures the dramatic, violent scene described in Canto XXII, where a barrator (a corrupt official) named Ciampolo is tormented in the sticky pitch of the fifth bolgia (ditch) of Hell. The composition focuses on the moment of capture, depicting Ciampolo seized by the Malebranche (evil claws), specifically the demon Barbariccia, an episode renowned for its mixture of terror and dark satire regarding political corruption.

As a significant English print from the early 19th century, the intensity of the composition underscores Blake’s distinct mastery of linear design, often prioritizing dramatic contour over conventional tonal modeling. While executed late in the artist’s life in England, the profound influence of classic Italian literature remains evident in his powerful visualizations of the text. The work is classified as a print and resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As many of Blake's posthumous prints and illustrations are now entering the public domain, this final effort solidifies his legacy as a foremost illustrator of classical texts.