Art, Symbol & Imagination
The Burning Feet of the Simoniacs
Dante and Virgil stand beside bare legs projecting upward from circular openings in the stone, with flames at the feet. The third ditch reverses the ordinary upright human body: those accused of selling sacred office are buried headfirst while their soles burn. Doré repeats the openings across an exposed rocky surface, making the travellers’ standing bodies a clear contrast. The printed caption belongs to Dante’s exchange with the inverted speaker. The plate represents the poem’s criticism of corrupt religious office, rather than establishing a literal place of punishment or identifying every figure in the engraving.
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Citation
Gustave Doré (design). "The Burning Feet of the Simoniacs" [editorial title]. In Dante's Inferno, Dante Alighieri. New Edition, undated supplied scan, undated edition, Thompson & Thomas. Source scan leaf 141. Lumitheca. /gallery/image/inferno-dore-134
Source details
Editorial title and description. Source details from the Library catalogue.
Full original plate and caption individually inspected; exact neighbouring canto read. Editorial title. Source tone and intrinsic damage retained; rotation applies only to Gallery derivatives.
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Gustave Doré (design). The Burning Feet of the Simoniacs. Dante's Inferno. Scan leaf 141. Lumitheca. https://lumitheca.com/gallery/image/inferno-dore-134