Dear Everyone,
Several people have asked about the cover artwork of “Gabriel’s Inferno.” There are three images – the flames, the embracing couple, and the male figure. As a way of celebrating the release of the novel, I thought I’d write a few words about the cover, explaining the significance of the art.
The male protagonist in my book is Gabriel Emerson, a professor of Italian Studies at the University of Toronto. He spends his days teaching and writing about the life and works of Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), who is best known for his work The Divine Comedy. The Comedy is divided into three sections: Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise, marking the worlds through which Dante travels beginning on Good Friday in 1300 AD.
The Flames
Steeped as he is in Dante’s world, Professor Emerson cannot help but see his own existence in Dantean terms, especially the concepts of sin and punishment. The flames on the cover of the book, along with the title, reflect Gabriel’s self-understanding. He sees himself as existing in Hell. Given this view and the journey that he takes through the course of the novel, it seemed appropriate to use images from the Inferno on the cover, especially the flames of Hell.
The Male Figure
In order to explain the significance of the other two images, we need to look at the work of French sculptor Auguste Rodin. Rodin (1840-1917) is perhaps best known for two of his works – The Thinker and The Kiss. What is lesser known is the fact that these sculptures were part of a larger work inspired by the text of Dante’s Inferno.
In 1880, Rodin was commissioned to sculpt a monumental door entitled The Gates of Hell.
In the middle of the door, at the top, sits a very familiar figure – The Thinker. But who is the Thinker? For Rodin, it could be Dante, himself, since he later renames the figure The Poet. One could also theorize that The Thinker is one of the inhabitants of Limbo or The Vestibule. Limbo is populated by virtuous persons who died unregenerate. The poet Virgil is part of this group, as is Aristotle, Socrates, and a host of others. For my purposes, I choose to identify The Thinker as Dante.
On the cover of “Gabriel’s Inferno,” we see a male figure in the top left, who bears some resemblance to Rodin’s Thinker, with at least two intriguing differences. Rodin’s figure has his hand clenched in a fist underneath his chin, while the figure on the book cover has his hands clasped together. Both figures are contemplative. But the position of the man’s hands and his down cast eyes suggest that the man on the cover is doing much more than thinking…
The Lovers
The final image on the book’s cover is that of a nude man and woman who are locked in an embrace. The woman’s face is turned to the side, her hand disappearing into her lover’s hair. The man is hugging her tightly, his mouth hidden in the crook of her shoulder, while his hands caress her back. The embrace is tender but almost desperate. The woman’s fingers are tensed in his hair. The man’s hands press deeply into her flesh. But they aren’t kissing. Perhaps his lips are kissing her shoulder, but we can’t tell for sure. He could be whispering to her. He could be simply resting, enjoying their physical connection. He could be weeping.
Once again, in order to explore the significance of this image we need to return to Rodin’s sculpture The Gates of Hell. The statue of Paolo and Francesca from The Gates of Hell was later renamed The Kiss. The story of Paolo and Francesca is told by Gabriel Emerson in one of the passages of the novel. In summary, they were guilty of the sin of lust and thus consigned to Hell upon their tragic deaths. Rodin’s sculpture captures the passion between the two lovers just as they begin to give in to it, but before their lips connect. The figures are naked and caught in an embrace. Francesca’s arm is thrown around Paolo’s neck. But although the sculpture is called The Kiss, the couple aren’t kissing.
The same can be said for the nude lovers on the cover. They’re embracing one another tightly, but they aren’t kissing. Although their configuration suggests passion, their image doesn’t reflect the fires of lust and wantonness. Their pose is loving, tender, and unlike Rodin’s sculpture, there is no space between the man and the woman. One might wonder about the significance of their pose and why it appears both erotic and peaceful…
All the best everyone and thanks for reading,
SR
I am honoured to have had all three of my novels appear on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists. I was a Semifinalist for Best Author in the 2011 and 2012 Goodreads Choice Awards. {
