Suicide Tree

In Dante's Inferno, there is a group of trees that are, in reality, the souls of suicides who landed in Hell for their final misdeed. In Hell's clean justice, these unfortunates are now trapped in the bodies of trees so that they can do no more mischief to their flesh. That pleasure is reserved for the Harpies (birds with the breasts and heads of women), who squabble among the trees, ripping off twigs and limbs from the branches, which subsequently bleed, and with the blood come the moans of the suicides. This is the only way they can express themselves. This little gouache image is actually two images, if you look closely, you can see the rope around the neck, the hands held up high above the head, the twisted torso and legs. Thank you, Dante!

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