The halftone reproduction depicts the doomed lovers, Paolo Malatesta, and his sister-in-law Francesca da Rimini, trapped in an eternal whirlwind in the Second Circle of Hell as witnessed by Dante in the first part of his Divine Comedy, Inferno. On the right, Paolo holds Francesca as they float before the viewer. His robes cover his head and shadow his features so that only the lower half of his face is visible. His mouth is closed, and his head is tilted to the left towards Francesca. His torso is bare, with a thin leather strap tied from his left shoulder down beneath his right breast.
