The Circle of the Thieves; Agnolo Brunelleschi Attacked by a Six-Footed Serpent

The Circle of the Thieves; Agnolo Brunelleschi Attacked by a Six-Footed Serpent by William Blake is a powerful engraving created in 1827. This print belongs to Blake’s renowned series illustrating Dante’s Divine Comedy, specifically Canto XXV of the Inferno. Executed near the end of the artist's career, the work exemplifies the imaginative and intensely spiritual quality characteristic of the British Romantic period, a classification covering artworks produced between 1826 to 1850.

The scene visualizes the terrifying punishment meted out to the thieves in the seventh bolgia of the Eighth Circle of Hell. The focus is on the Florentine nobleman Agnolo Brunelleschi, who is depicted in the throes of a horrifying metamorphosis. A monstrous, six-footed serpent clings aggressively to his body, its serpentine form wrapping around his legs and chest as the process of painful merging begins. Blake renders the transformation with dramatic intensity, emphasizing the agonizing punishment prescribed by Dante. Blake’s distinctive linear style, typical of his detailed prints, enhances the otherworldly drama, giving the composition a dynamic and visionary energy.

This exceptional example of British graphic art is housed within the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. The work is crucial to understanding the late phase of Blake’s artistic engagement with classical literature. As a deeply significant historic engraving from the 19th century, The Circle of the Thieves is widely recognized and frequently reproduced. Its stature as a major art historical document ensures that high-quality reference prints are often made available through initiatives that prioritize making culturally significant artworks accessible in the public domain.