The Circle of the Traitors; Dante's Foot Striking Bocca degli Abbate

William Blake

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing of two robed figures standing above a river filled with submerged, struggling, and deceased bodies. The central focus is on the figures in long, flowing robes. Submerged figures appear to float or struggle beneath the water's surface, with heads and outstretched hands visible. On the right side, there is a rocky terrain with faint outlines of faces. The sky above the figures is depicted with sketch-like lines. The drawing is rendered in a monochromatic palette.