Paul & Gaëtan Brizzi Exposition

Key figures in animation and authors of literary adaptations into comic art (Honoré de Balzac, Céline, Boris Vian), the creators of Disney Studios in France deliver a remarkable literary and graphic interpretation of Dante Alighieri's most famous work, the first part of The Divine Comedy. It captures the essence of the original poem written in the 14th century. Dante, guided by the poet Virgil, travels through the nine circles of Hell to find his beloved Beatrice.

The artwork by Paul & Gaëtan Brizzi, meanwhile, is worthy of the imagery inherited from Gustave Doré. It unfolds in superb original pages and large-format illustrations created in black and white, using wax crayons, and by four hands: Gaëtan for the backgrounds and Paul for the characters. Their semi-realistic style is inspired by the codes of 19th-century engraving. The play on scale and composition, and the stark contrasts between light and shadow, accentuate the dramatic dimension of the story, as in the illustration of the gates of Hell, which literally crush the two heroes.

While Doré's work is dark and tragic, the Brizzi brothers manage to convey the poetry of the Italian genius while retaining some lightness, thanks in particular to the discreetly caricatured aspect of the characters.