Artwork
The Circle of the Thieves; Buoso Donati Attacked by the Serpent
The Circle of the Thieves; Buoso Donati Attacked by the Serpent is an ink print by the Romanticist artist William Blake. It dates from 1827 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1827, the engraving titled *The Circle of the Thieves; Buoso Donati Attacked by the Serpent* is one of William Blake’s last printed works. Executed in his London studio, the image draws on Dante Alighieri’s *Inferno* to portray the tormented fate of a thief, rendered in a stark, storm‑filled landscape.
Subject & Meaning
The scene visualises the punishment of Buoso Donati, a thief condemned to be seized by a massive serpent. The creature coils around the victim, dragging him toward the ground while two robed onlookers stand apart, their clasped hands suggesting a silent witness to the moral retribution depicted in Dante’s poetic vision.
Technique & Style
Blake employed traditional copper engraving, incising fine lines that generate a dense network of shadows and texture. The composition relies on dramatic contrasts of light and dark, with swirling clouds and turbulent water rendered through cross‑hatching. This approach heightens the eerie atmosphere and underscores the work’s symbolic complexity.
History & Provenance
Produced in the final year of Blake’s life, the print reflects his lifelong integration of poetry and visual art. Though little is recorded about its early ownership, the engraving has been catalogued among Blake’s late prints and is now held in several public collections that document his contribution to the Romantic era.
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Artist & collection
Artist
William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter and printmaker.
The Circle of the Thieves; Buoso Donati Attacked by the Serpent
The Circle of the Thieves; Buoso Donati Attacked by the Serpent
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