Dante's Eighth Ring, the Malebolge, is an arena like structure that houses and punishes those who commited the sin of Fraudulence. Separated into 10 "Bolgia's" or ditches, each layer addresses one of ten unique acts of fraudulence with a specific punishment.

When considering these ten ditches and punishments, I chose to paint the Eighth Ring as a "deciptych" (10 canvas), with each canvas representing one of the ten Bolgia's.

I consider fraudulence (or at least certain forms of it) to be common themes in my paintings. This is why I chose to use my bear as the Eighth Ring's resident and victim.


Panderers (pimps) and seducers march, while whipped by demons. Just as they misled others in life, they are driven to march by demons for all eternity.


Flatterers are steeped in human excrement. This is because their flatteries on earth were nothing but "a load of excrement".


Those who committed simony (the making of profit out of sacred/religious things) are placed headfirst in holes in the ground, with flames burning on the soles of their feet (resembling an inverted baptism).


Sorcerers and false prophets have their heads twisted around on their bodies backward. This is symbolic because these people tried to see into the future by forbidden means (and possibly retribution for the delusions they concocted that probably led their followers to their own perils); thus in Hell they can only see what is behind them and cannot see forward


Corrupt politicians (barraters) are immersed in boiling pitch, which represents the sticky fingers and dark secrets of their corrupt deals.


Hypocrites listlessly walk along wearing gilded lead cloaks. Gold on the outside, lead on the inside, the association should be obvious.


Thieves are pursued and bitten by snakes and lizards. Alighieri considers thievery to be "reptilian in its secrecy", this is why they are eaten away by reptiles


Fraudulent Advisors / Corrupt Conselors are encased in flames. Classic "Hell Fire".


A sword-wielding demon hacks at the sowers of discord. As they make their rounds the wounds heal, only to have the demon tear apart their bodies again.


Here various sorts of falsifiers (alchemists, counterfeiters, perjurers, and impersonators), who are a disease on society, are themselves afflicted with different types of diseases.