Salvador Dalí – Divine Comedy (L’Enfer, Chant V)
An original limited edition etching from Dalí’s monumental Divine Comedy series, depicting Minos, the infernal judge who assigns souls to their eternal punishment. Includes an AuthenticDali Authentication Report.
Artwork title: Minos (French) / Minos (English)
Chant V introduces Minos, the judge of the damned, whose coiling tail determines each soul’s circle. This moment transforms the Inferno from chaotic suffering into a structured system of moral assignment. Dalí captures this decisive act of judgment with dramatic clarity and symbolic restraint.
Art Historical Context
Salvador Dalí’s illustrations for Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy represent one of the most ambitious graphic undertakings of the twentieth century, comprising 100 images across Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso.
In L’Enfer, Chant V, Dante enters the Second Circle of Hell, where the lustful are swept endlessly in a violent storm. Before encountering the whirlwind itself, he meets Minos, who evaluates each soul and determines its place in the Inferno’s hierarchy.
Dalí’s etching emphasizes authority and inevitability. The figure of Minos embodies order within chaos—an image that underscores the Divine Comedy’s moral structure and the logic behind punishment.
What You Receive
- Original Salvador Dalí etching (L’Enfer – Chant V)
- Documented edition size: 242 impressions
- AuthenticDali Authentication Report
Technical Specifications
| Artist | Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) |
| Series | The Divine Comedy |
| Canto | Inferno / L’Enfer – Chant V |
| Artwork title | Minos / Minos |
| Medium | Original Etching |
| Edition | Documented edition size: 242 impressions for this plate |
| Paper | Archival-quality paper (depending on edition) |
| Condition | Excellent vintage condition (see images for details) |
| Documentation | Includes AuthenticDali Authentication Report |
Authentication & Documentation
This artwork is accompanied by an Authentication Report created to provide traceable documentation and transparency specific to this individual print. The report is designed to support responsible collecting and informed evaluation of Dalí’s graphic works.
- Edition context and series verification
- Technique and material review (etching characteristics)
- Reference-based research relevant to the Divine Comedy series
- High-resolution photographic documentation
Collecting Significance
Chant V is one of the most recognized structural moments of the Inferno, marking the transition from entry to judgment. As the embodiment of infernal order, Minos represents the beginning of Dante’s deeper confrontation with moral consequence. Collectors often view this plate as a pivotal early image within the Inferno sequence.
Learn more about Minos and Dalí’s interpretation of Chant V in our in-depth reference page:
Salvador Dalí – Divine Comedy, Inferno – Chant V
Availability is limited to remaining impressions from the edition.