Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

BoredPanda Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

I Spent Over 4 Years Illustrating Dante’s Inferno On Musical Instruments And Here’s How It Looks On Violins
User submission
5.4K
23K

I Spent Over 4 Years Illustrating Dante’s Inferno On Musical Instruments And Here’s How It Looks On Violins

ADVERTISEMENT

Hello, my name is Leonardo Frigo and I am a London-based artist. I illustrate biographies, classic books, and stories on musical instruments such as violins and cellos (if you’re interested, you can find my previous post here). “Dante Alighieri – Inferno” is a project in progress for more than four years, conceived and developed by me.

I had managed to bring together music, poetry, design, and craftsmanship in a single piece of unique art. We are talking about 34 musical instruments, 33 violins, and 1 cello, on which I made the intricate drawings inspired by the first “cantica” chapter of the Divine Comedy: Inferno (Hell). Each musical instrument is dedicated to a specific canto. On its surface, the violins show off symbols, scenes, and key characters taken from the imagery of the poem written by Dante Alighieri hundreds of years ago.

My work comes from deep research that has roots in my passion for reading, for art, visual storytelling, and, in particular, for the of Dante’s masterpiece. Dante’s Inferno has always inspired me since I was a child, I can probably say that it taught me to imagine and dream.

Therefore, after taking notes and annotations about each canto, I start to search for symbols, names, and beautiful drawings that, put together, tell the story written by Dante. When the final design is clear in my mind, I am ready to paint the black and white drawings by hand, in black ink, on the entire surface of the violin. The instrument is then varnished and installed on its base. But it does not end here: each violin is accompanied by an accurate descriptive text, both in Italian and in English, which highlights and analyzes all its details.

ADVERTISEMENT

More info: leonardofrigo.com

You May Also Like:

More violins inspired by Dante’s Inferno:

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Watch the video:

23Kviews

Share on Facebook
Leonardo Frigo

Leonardo Frigo

Author, Community member

Read more »

Hi, I'm the Violin Painter

Read less »
Leonardo Frigo

Leonardo Frigo

Author, Community member

Hi, I'm the Violin Painter

Vėjūnė Rimašiūtė

Vėjūnė Rimašiūtė

Author, Community member

Read more »

Vėjūnė is a community manager who helps artists all over the world introduce their artwork to Bored Panda readers and in that way, become more popular. Since she was always fascinated by the art world, she studied Culture Management and Cultural Policy at Vilnius Academy of Arts where she expanded her knowledge about it. Now she's using all this knowledge to showcase its beauty and help others dive into the fascinating world of art.

Read less »

Vėjūnė Rimašiūtė

Vėjūnė Rimašiūtė

Author, Community member

Vėjūnė is a community manager who helps artists all over the world introduce their artwork to Bored Panda readers and in that way, become more popular. Since she was always fascinated by the art world, she studied Culture Management and Cultural Policy at Vilnius Academy of Arts where she expanded her knowledge about it. Now she's using all this knowledge to showcase its beauty and help others dive into the fascinating world of art.

What do you think ?
Add photo comments
POST
Load More Comments
Load More Comments
You May Like
Related on Bored Panda
Related on Bored Panda
Trending on Bored Panda
Also on Bored Panda