A Daily Jaunt Through the Planes (Pit Fiend)
Planescape’s underworld was, of course, modeled after Inferno in Dante’s Divine Comedy. I haven’t read that book since college, but a good pal of mine sent me a newly translated version last year – and I am finally starting to read it. Written a little more…”cleaner”, this version still retains the poetic verse and I’ve enjoyed it so far.
Anyways, here’s Dante out on a solo adventure speaking with a pit fiend…I think he’s asking where a good restaurant might be.
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Very Gustav Dore-ian!
So that’s how he could write a poem on baator… he was there! Well, he made some mistakes, but it’s mostly acurate.
Good restaurant? Easy answer – Lady’s Ward, third on the left…
Though wow – that’s an image I would love to have as a poster. Evocative, is that pencil or ballpoint that you’re using for this one?
I am in Diterlizzi heaven. I’m so glad to see this stuff, there’s so much power in these images and you really sense their place in the history of fantasy illustration.
As always, the Planescape stuff is highly appreciated. I hear there are rumblings of a new 4th Edition version in the works over at Wizards (or at least, they’ve mentioned it).
IF they don’t bring Tony D. over to do their artwork they are OUT OF THEIR MINDS. As I said once before, nothing brings out that postmodern blues like good ol’ DiTerlizzi. You are officially part of my nostalgia, sir.
Beautifully done. The Pit Fiend in the first PS compendium had always been my favorite, but I am loving the “Dore” flavor as mentioned above. What translation of the Inferno are you reading? I have always respected the clarity and elegence of the Mandelbaum, but the old Longfellow one is some of the best *English* verse around.
I read the Longfellow version in college and (frankly) I struggled with it. The Mandelbaum version is the one I am currently reading and – either I am older and can comprehend it better, or his translation is just easier to grasp. Either way, it is good stuff…