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SAVOYV3_icon6_blake_angry

This half-tone reproduction of a water-colour drawing by William Blake for Dante’s Inferno is in portrait orientation. The image shows six figures in a line in the top two-thirds of the picture plane and three figures lying on their backs below in the bottom third. The three figures at the bottom are lying very close together, with their knees bent and the backs of their heads facing the viewer. The figure on the left has their left arm bent up with their hand resting above their head. The face is not visible, with only hair showing at the top of the head. The central figure is lying with their arms covered underneath the bodies of the two figures on either side. They have a head scarf wrapping tightly around the sides of their face. The figure’s eyes are closed. The figure on the right is a man with his head twisted far to the right and his bearded face visible by the viewer. The man’s eyes are closed. His left arm is wrapped across his body, with his hand tucked into his armpit. He has long hair that flows in waves around his head. The series of six figures at the top of the composition are floating above the three figures on the bottom. The six floating figures are a mirror image of each other in poses, with each figure’s outer arm raised up with a clenched fist. The figure on the far left is a man who has his body facing the left side, but his upper body twisted to face to the right. He has bare feet and bare legs that are translucent, giving way to the background coming through. He has his right arm raised in a fist, and his left arm is reaching across his body. He has a long wavy beard and long hair on his head. Slightly to his right and backgrounded is the second figure. This figure is limitedly visible, showing only a raised right fist and a face with a crease between the eyebrows, and a mouth opened in an “O” shape. To the right of this figure and slightly backgrounded is the third figure. This figure has the right fist raised as well, and only the face visible. This figure is visible only in profile. The figure has large lips that are extended far out from the face. The figure also has a long and protruding nose. To the right of this figure, and equally backgrounded, is a figure also visible only in profile, but turned to face to the left and staring directly at the opposition. This figure has the left fist raised and clenched. The figure has downturned lips and a crease between the eyebrows. To the right and slightly foregrounded is another figure with the left fist raised. This figure has a wavy beard and matching hair, both long. The figure has slightly downturned lips and large pupils. The figure is looking off into the distant left of the page, with a crease between the eyebrows. To the right and foregrounded is the sixth figure. This figure has his whole body visible. The figure has his left fist raised and his legs are sticking out towards the centre of the composition. He has a long wavy beard and hair, which covers up his whole upper body. He has wide eyes and raised eyebrows. His mouth is in an “O” shape. In the background of all of the figures on the page is a series of horizontal wavy lines, in wave-like shapes in the bottom half. In the upper half the lines become less wavy and look like air waves in the sky. Between the lines is dark shading until the top fifth of the page where the background becomes much lighter. In the bottom right corner there is the text: “HELL Canto 7”.