The Divine Comedy, 2024

Original 8x10 inch watercolor painting on watercolor paper, surrounded by a one inch white border

This painted image was inspired by the allegorical poem The Divine Comedy, written by Dante Alighieri in the 14th century, portrays Hell as a vast, descending funnel formed by Satan’s fall from Heaven to Earth. The poem symbolizes the soul’s journey toward God: we begin lost in a world of sin and confusion, gradually confront our flaws, and learn from our imperfections. Through this process of self-awareness and repentance, we ultimately arrive at a place of acceptance, truth, and spiritual clarity.

While working on this piece, I found myself pondering the source of evil. In many religious traditions, evil is understood as the manifestation of Satan, and Western society has often attributed wrongdoing to this fallen angel from Heaven. I, however, believe that evil resides within every human being and that it is our responsibility to suppress the impulses and behaviors that harm others. Blaming evil on a satanic being relinquishes our accountability and shifts responsibility away from ourselves and onto the “son of perdition.”

The depiction of Satan in this work is rich with symbolism. The green color scheme represents jealousy, greed, and immaturity—traits frequently present in society that contribute to the erosion of its moral and social structure. Satan’s physique is portrayed as strong and virile, suggesting that evil exists beneath our consciousness, always ready to overtake our humanity if left unchecked. The horns emphasize power and dominion over humankind, growing aggressively from the head in stark defiance of qualities such as love, humility, and meekness.

$250 for the Divine Comedy, 2024