The Circle of the Thieves; Buoso Donati Attacked by the Serpent

The print, The Circle of the Thieves; Buoso Donati Attacked by the Serpent, was executed in 1827 by William Blake and Harry Hoehn. This specific composition is an engraving, identified as a restrike, directly related to Blake’s renowned cycle of illustrations for Dante Alighieri’s Inferno. It captures a specific, terrifying moment from Canto XXV, which describes the Eighth Circle, where thieves are punished through gruesome transformations. The image focuses on Buoso Donati, who is being struck by a serpentine figure, initiating his metamorphosis.

Although Blake died in 1827, the initial designs for the Dante series were among his final, ambitious projects. The collaborative effort with Hoehn, likely involving the printing or later production of this restrike, ensures the survival and continuation of Blake’s visual interpretation well beyond his lifetime. Executed as an engraving, this work firmly places it within the rich tradition of British Romantic illustration during the defined period of 1826 to 1850. The print medium was crucial for allowing wider dissemination of such complex and visionary imagery throughout the era.

The illustration captures the dynamic terror of the narrative, focusing on the grotesque punishment meted out to the condemned thief. The technical execution utilizes dense line work, typical of the engraving process, which generates sharp contrasts, deep shadows, and highlights the chaos of the infernal realm. As a significant example of Blake’s late career, this work classifies formally as a print and represents a high point of 19th-century visionary art. This impression currently resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it is preserved for study alongside other major works. Historically, reproductions of such masterworks have often entered the public domain, ensuring their continued accessibility to scholars and art enthusiasts globally.