Petah Coyne, Untitled #1180 (Beatrice), 2003–2008, cast-wax statuary, taxidermy animals, taxidermy birds, silk flowers, silk/rayon velvet, specially formulated wax, felt, tree branches, tree bark, driftwood, cable, cable nuts, acrylic paint, black spray paint, chicken wire, metal hardware, pearl-headed hat pins, pigment, thread, wire, plywood, wood, and vinyl, 136 x 109 x 121 in., Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Lelong, New York, © Petah Coyne. Image courtesy of the artist and Galerie Lelong, New York. Photo by Wit McKay
Beatrice is part of a series of dramatic black sculptures inspired by Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy. The narrative traces Dante’s allegorical journey from hell to purgatory and finally to heaven. Beatrice Portinari was a Florentine woman who served as the author’s muse and his fictional guide through paradise. Coyne’s sculpture depicts Beatrice as a towering woman draped in purple and black velvet and adorned with blooms and branches. The swirling birds may symbolize her role as an escort to heaven or as a mediator between humanity (Dante) and the spiritual world.
