The Circle of the Thieves; Agnolo Brunelleschi Attacked by a Six-Footed Serpent, created by William Blake in 1827, is a detailed line engraving that captures a moment of horrifying retribution. This powerful image is part of Blake's celebrated, yet unfinished, series illustrating Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy, specifically Canto XXV of Inferno. The scene depicts the agonizing fate of the thieves confined to the eighth circle of Hell, where they are perpetually assaulted by monstrous reptiles.
Blake focuses intently on the character Agnolo Brunelleschi, who is shown undergoing a terrifying, partial fusion with a six-footed serpent, a direct and physical consequence of his earthly sins. The work vividly translates the specific horror described by Dante, capturing the instant of agonizing physical mutation where human and reptile forms merge. Blake’s distinctive linear style elevates the terror and drama, capturing the precise moment of metamorphosis with visionary intensity.
Produced late in his life, this British engraving exemplifies the profound spiritual and aesthetic preoccupations that defined his artistic output during the period spanning 1826 to 1850. Blake utilized the meticulous engraving technique masterfully to convey sharp contrasts and dramatic movement, emphasizing the monstrous anatomy and the desperate struggle of the damned soul against the reptile. The resulting print reflects Blake's deep engagement with classical literature and his unique mystical interpretation of allegorical subjects.
As one of the significant prints from his final major illustrative project, this work contributes importantly to the study of British Romantic art and the history of printmaking. The Circle of the Thieves is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. Its cultural and historical significance ensures that high-resolution prints and documentation of this influential artwork are widely available, often accessible through public domain art initiatives.
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