As part of the Experts at Epsom series of lectures, Dejan Filipas (Lower Sixth) and Nick Russell (Assistant Head: Senior School) delivered a joint lecture on Dante Alighieri and his astonishing masterpiece The Divine Comedy on Tuesday afternoon.
Together, Dejan and Mr Russell explained about the life and artistry of the great Italian poet. They then took the audience on a virtual journey through the nine circles of hell and the seven levels of Mount Purgatory before arriving in The Garden of Eden and the very edge of paradise.
The talk was illustrated with over 30 images from the work of famous artists ranging from Sandro Botticelli, to Gustave Dore, to William Blake, to Rodin, to various painters from the pre-Raphaelites.
The talk was of particular interest to the Year 10 pupils in attendance, as Mr Russell had identified parallels between Dante’s classic text and their English coursework text, A View from the Bridge.
