Dante. Invitation to Experience

Recognized as a masterpiece of world literature, The Divine Comedy reflects religious views, moral and philosophical beliefs from ancient classics to the 14th century.

This fundamental text of the Middle Ages served as a source of inspiration for the graphics of Viktor Apukhtin. The series of drawings is presented to the Russian audience for the first time.

For the artist, Dante is a witness, a man who has gone through Hell and Purgatory, who has known Paradise and returned to Earth to “enlighten those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet to the path of peace.” The task of the author of the “Divine Comedy” is “to lead people from a state of distress to a state of happiness.” Instructing the reader before starting the journey, Dante talks about the need to take the first step - open your eyes. After all, the ability to see the Light is salvation.

Like Dante, the artist leads us along a complex path: as we move from the circles of Hell through Purgatory to Paradise, the figures lose their sinful physicality. Somewhat theatrical, dense images are transformed, the lines become thinner, the strokes are more transparent, and the purified soul, like a child’s drawing, appears before Paradise.

The drawing appears opposite the verse it illustrates—the artist’s hommage to the brethren of centuries past. Victor Apukhtin also recorded his own commentary, which is very important for understanding the depth of reading the text and continues the traditions of European masters. Accompanying the drawing with text opens up the possibility of relating Dante’s narrative to modern times and adjusts to a different level of perception.

The author and curators of the project express special gratitude to Olga Aleksandrovna Sedakova, Igor Leonidovich Volgin, Alexander Semenovich Filonenko, whose thoughts, translations and comments inspired the implementation of this project.

Curators of the exhibition:

— Lydia Enova, curator;

— Daria Levina, curator, senior researcher at the Department of Scientific and Exposition Activities of the Children's Health Department.

You can view the exhibition in room 409 during the opening hours of the Museum of Russian Abroad.

Free admission.

Age limit: 12+

Announcement of the exhibition on the museum’s website Report from the opening of the exhibition on the museum’s website