Citings & Sightings of Dante's Works in Contemporary Culture
Jean-Jacques Feuchère, a French artist (1807-1852), depicted an image of Dante meditating on his literary work, the Divine Comedy (1843). This work is made with “pen and brown ink with brown wash and watercolor over graphite, heightened with white gouache, on 3 joined sheets of laid paper.” — “Dante Meditating on the Divine Comedy” (1843), National Gallery of Art
This graffito, which is located in Naples, represents a stylized representation of Dante Alighieri. At the top left corner of the work, the phrase “fatti non fumo” (facts not smoke) is included — this could relate to the famous line “fatti non foste a viver come bruti, / ma per seguir virtute e canoscenza” (Inf. 26.119-120: “you were not made to live your lives as brutes, / but to be followers of worth and knowledge”), which is spoken by Ulisse in the Eighth Circle of Hell. — ALDAM, Dante Graffiti, Via dei Tribunali, Napoli.
This feature of the SwissSwatch watch is from 1994, and it is called Le Poème. The Swatch features Gustave Dorés’s colorized illustrations of the Inferno and Paradiso on the band, along with a depiction of Dante’s profile on its crystal. Also, this portrait is surrounded by the words “Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita.” — Dante Swatch, SwissWatch, 1994.
See the watch on Swatch’s website here (retrieved on January 9, 2024).
Contributed by Martin Marafioti, Pace University
(Image: ANSA)
“As a part of the celebrations commemorating the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri’s death, the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato is minting the second coin dedicated to the Supreme Poet and this literary work.
“Issued today by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the coin celebrates the Divine Comedy, and this year is dedicated to Purgatorio.
“The Brilliant Uncirculated coin is made of silver, with a face value of 5 euro and a circulation of 6000 pieces.
“The second ‘proof version’ is in gold, with a face value of 20 euro and a circulation of 1500 pieces.
“Designed by artist Claudia Momoni, on one side the coin depicts the profile of Dante Alighieri, inspired by a Sandro Botticelli work (private collection), with the inscription ‘REPUBBLICA ITALIANA’, closed by a star.
“On the reverse is a depiction of Purgatory surrounded by the sea, the sun and stars, on the top of which a wall of fire rises in the Divine Forest. The verse ‘PURO E DISPOSTO A SALIRE A LE STELLE’, a verse that closes the Purgatory canticle skirts its edge. On the right is the value ‘5 EURO’; on the left, ‘R,’ identifying the Rome Mint; at the bottom, the date ‘2022’, the year the coin was issued, and the artist’s signature ‘MOMONI.’ The presence of colour is unique to the silver version.” –“A commemorative coin has been dedicated to Dante’s Purgatorio on the 700th anniversary of his death”, Il Globo, September 14, 2022
In 2015 Liberia medievale started selling an 8GB Chiavetta USB inspired by Dante Alighieri. The USB displays Dante’s iconic red robe and laurel wreath as seen in the painting by Domenico di Michelino. (Retrieved on October 26, 2023.)
All submissions will be considered for posting. Bibliographic references and scholarly essays are also welcome for consideration.
Coggeshall, Elizabeth, and Arielle Saiber, eds. Dante Today: Citings and Sightings of Dante’s Works in Contemporary Culture. Website. Access date.
