The Shades of Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta

The Shades of Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta Appear to Dante and Virgil

Ary Scheffer

The legendary lovers Francesca and Paolo are the ultimate symbols of passionate love. To form an alliance between two powerful families, the beautiful Francesca had been forced to marry a deformed and ugly man. However, she fell in love with his handsome younger brother Paolo, who loved her in return. The pair met a tragic end, murdered by Francesca’s jealous husband. This story, recounted by the medieval Italian poet Dante, inspired future generations of artists including the painter Ary Scheffer, who depicted the lovers condemned to suffer in Hell for all eternity. Two poets – Dante and his master, the great Latin poet Virgil – observe them from the shadows, reminding us that poets have the power to make a love story immortal.