Dante and Beatrice in alabaster, 33 x 20 x 36 cm. Early 20th century. This alabaster relief, whose great technical skill is evident, imitates the pages of a book. On the two sides of the book is the overhanging bust of Dante Alighieri, in the typical ancient-style profile pose, gazing admiringly at his beloved Beatrice sculpted on the facing page and in an elevated position, emphasising that he belongs more to the spiritual world than to the earthly. The profile pose borrowed from ancient portraiture and traditionally handed down to us by the supreme poet is an expedient to figuratively render Canto XXI of Paradise, the first verse of which is engraved in the upper border of the work. In fact, in this canto Dante reports that his eyes were already fixed on the face of his beloved Beatrice, to the point of being distracted from every other object. Beatrice did not smile, but told him that if he did Dante would have the same fate as Semele, daughter of Cadmus, who was incinerated for looking at Jupiter in all his splendour. The beautiful Beatrice, with her perfectly oval face and delicate features, is in an elevated position with respect to the poet who follows her on her journey, suggesting precisely the ascent into the heavens of Paradise. Finally, dividing Dante from Beatrice is the laurel branch, the symbol of poets and men of letters, which usually encircles Dante's head but which here is loose and positioned diagonally licking the pages of the book. The object is in good condition.
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SILVER Seller in Milano, Italia
