Folio Society's 2004 impression of the 1998 edition of Dante’s Inferno For Sale

Folio Society's 2004 impression of the edition of Dante’s Inferno (the 2nd impression of the 1998 edition. Drawings by Blake. Features the revised quarter-leather binding. Illustrated with drawings byBlake. Never been read. Clean, unmarked text block, tight binding, and a sturdyoriginal slipcase with very minimal shelf wear.

As a profound allegory of human sin, divine justice,and spiritual redemption, the Infernomaps a meticulous architecture of moral failing. From the unbaptized in Limboto the ultimate betrayers frozen in the lake of Cocytus, Dante populated hisunderworld with contemporary politicians, historical figures, and mythologicalentities, blending sharp political critique with timeless theological inquiry.

The enduring resonance of Dante's vision hasinspired centuries of artistic interpretation, famously culminating in thevisionary watercolors commissioned from William Blake near the end of his life(1824–1827). Blake’s illustrations do not merely accompany the text; theyengage in a fierce, visionary dialogue with Dante, sometimes challenging theFlorentine poet's moral orthodoxies through an intense lens of spiritualmysticism.

To encounter these masterworks in physical form, feweditions rival the prestige of The Folio Society's 1998 publication. Followingthe success of its initial printing, the publisher issued a highly sought-aftersecond impression of this 1998 edition. Presented in a large format and housedin a protective slipcase, this volume pairs Henry Francis Cary’s celebrated19th-century English translation with full-colour reproductions of Blake'shaunting Dante watercolors. The combination of fine typography, robustbinding, and Blake's ethereal, dynamic artwork makes this second impression atreasured artifact for bibliophiles and art collectors alike, brilliantlybridging medieval poetic structure with Romantic visionary genius."