William Blake (1757-1827)
Illustrations to Dante's Divine Comedy
the complete set of seven line-engravings, circa 1827, on India laid paper, 'The Circle of the Lustful' with partial watermark which has a flourish to one letter, [?]N, possibly suggesting the sheet is not on Whatman paper, excellent, clear impressions from either the 1838 edition of 120 published by John Linnell, or the 1892 edition of fifty published by his son (the quality of impressions and variations in paper between the two editions are indiscernible), full margins
Sheets each c. 395 x 545 mm.; platemarks: 278 x 355 mm. (7)

Literature:
Bindman, David, The Complete Graphic Works of William Blake, London, 1978, p. 487, nos. 647-53

The set of seven including:
(1) The Circle of the Lustful: Paolo and Francesca. Inf., canto V
(2) The Circle of the Corrupt Officials; the devils tormenting Ciampolo. Inf., canto XXII
(3) The Circle of the Corrupt Officials; the Devils Mauling Each Other. Inf., canto XXII

(4) The Circle of the Thieves; Agnolo Brunelleschi Attacked by a Six-Footed Serpent. Inf., canto XXV
(5) The Circle of the Thieves; Buoso Donati Attacked by the Serpent. Inf., canto XXV
(6) The Circle of the Falsifiers; Dante and Virgil Covering their Noses because of the Stench. Inf., canto XXIX
(7) The Circle of the Traitors; Dante's Foot Striking Bocca degli Abbate. Inf., canto XXXII

By the autumn of 1824 William Blake had most likely already begun to work on the series commissioned by John Linnell, which would eventually occupy him until his death in 1827. At the time of his death Blake had produced 102 drawings illustrating Dante's Divine Comedy, but it wasn't until 1826 that he started to work on the large engravings after 7 of the drawings. The engravings were left unfinished at the time of his death, and stand as testament to the artist's ability to capture the atmosphere and lyrical intensity of Dante's Inferno.

"We on the utmost shore of the long rock
Descended still to leftward. Then my sight
Was livelier to explore the depth, wherein
The minister of the most mighty Lord,
All-searching Justice, dooms to punishment
The forgers noted on her dread record"
[Inf. xxix. 44]