''Paolo and Francesca'' is a sculptural group by
Auguste Rodin
François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...
, showing
Paolo and Francesca da Rimini, damned lovers from Canto V of Dante's ''
The Divine Comedy
The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and ...
''.
Gates of Hell
The couple appeared in several of Rodin's initial drawings between 1880 and 1881 for ''
The Gates of Hell''. In the first version he placed them in the centre, in a work that later appeared on its own as ''
The Kiss''. This piece was removed from ''Gates'' by the artist in 1886 and replaced by a new version, closer to the description of the lovers in Dante's text.
[Le Normand-Romain, Antoinette (2006). ''Rodin The Gates of Hell.'' p. 42,43. .]
See also
*
List of sculptures by Auguste Rodin
References
External links
*
{{Auguste Rodin
Sculptures by Auguste Rodin
1885 sculptures
Sculptures based on Inferno (Dante)