Barlowe's Inferno

by Wayne Barlowe

In this work, Wayne Douglas Barlowe dips his brush into the swirling mists and rolling infernos of Hell. His renditions of Hell's landscape and bizarre inhabitants, with tormented souls and hideous demons populating the living structures, sprouts from the darkest regions of the human imagination.

Genres: Art, Horror, Fantasy, Fiction, Comics

72 pages, Hardcover

First published December 8, 1998

About the author

Wayne Douglas Barlowe

Reviews

[Sol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barlowe's Hell works are likely to be his magnum opus. None of his other projects have spanned such a large portion of his career, been so consistent, nor so artistically successful. Barlowe has taken an ancient idea, which has currency across practically the whole of the old world, and has made it entirely his own. As if the whole of human history had gotten a Chinese whispers idea of Hell and it took Barlowe to show what it was really about. Lake of fire? Circle of ice? Try being a fucking BRICK for all eternity. (And I only just realized the All Tomorrows inspiration here.) No other book could truly warrant a disclaimer that the author hasn't actually been to Hell, but Barlowe has earned it.



This first of his Hell books presents a series of paintings, organized into landscapes, demons and damned souls, with accompanying text explaining the lore of Hell. It has a large dose of Milton, some Goetian sigils, borrows Dante's sojourn motif, adds dashes of apocryphal elements in Lilith, Baal, and even the completely incongruous in the new world Moche deity Ai Apaec. Things entirely Barlowe's own shine through, like Hell being home to the souls of future humans evolved into strange forms, marking the work like a great wrinkled thumbprint.



My own thumbprints literally mark my physical copy because this was somehow printed on the most oleophilic paper ever made, and since the pages are black they're extremely visible. Eventually I was forced to turn the pages with cloth wrapped around my hands, lest I leave an indelible mark everywhere my skin happened to brush across the page. A little annoying, but it did add to the forbidden tome feeling.

A low-res sampling of Barlowe's Hell work can be seen on his website and newer pieces on his instagram.

[Brayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far one of the craziest and absolutely most hideously beautiful books I have ever seen/read. The imaginative originality is off the charts and practically fills the room you're reading it in. Barlowe masterfully takes points from not only Dante's works but also that of other cultures and religions both commonplace and obscure, whilst submerging them in that hellish broth of his own creation. The world is rich and ancient, hideous and spellbinding. His descriptions that accompany each image only enhance the experience even more. And that is absolutely what this book is: AN EXPERIENCE. This is a must for any aspiring artist or individual seeking inspiration of the macabre and brimstone laden sort. I would say pick it up but the only place I can fin them is on amazon for more than $100 but I can almost guarantee I will be buying it in time, because this book excited me at the possibilities of Art in general.

[Baal Of · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite single artist collections. Barlowe's visions of hell are unique and beautiful, and his intent to make them timeless and cross-cultural is fully successful. I would love to have one of these pictures on my wall.

Addendum 2023:
I have a print of one of these paintings on my living room wall, as of a few years back.
The Wargate from page 21. I love it, but I do wish that I had bought a larger print.

[Printable Tire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book I bought for $1 at a book sale and sold for $100 the other day. So I read it today before shipping it off. Goodbye, wonderful book.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was interesting. Barlowe’s art is just wild. I’d like to explore more of his “Inferno” set writings and paintings.

[Nate M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wayne Barlowe shows once again that he is a master world architect, fusing an almost alien creative vision with unparalleled technical artistic skills to grant us a glimpse of the helpless horror and crushing majesty of the Inferno.

[Thresk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long one of my white whales, I finally acquired a copy of the autographed, slipcased, 250-copy limited run. (From the personal collection of the late Martin Ain (Celtic Frost, Hellhammer) no less!)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wayne Barlowe is truly a master, not only in his art but also in his descriptions and design philosophy. To have Hell be colonized by demons since it was already an existing place with its own life, to having the first of humanity’s demons be a Australopithecus, to the “devil” being the pitch black matter of evil itself flowing throughout all of Hell is amazingly cool and unique. As well as adopting ideas from as many of earths cultures as possibly topped with his own style to represent us all. In my opinion the most insane of it all is that it’s a place where time isn’t what we know it to be, and demons from millions of years ago, the near past, the present, and distant future all mash together is truly just otherworldly in a way that only he can do. Only 4 stars because I wish it could go on longer

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome. I had wanted a copy for a long time, and I finally got an opportunity to get one for a price that didn’t require me to sell a kidney.

The art style is so inspired, and the atmosphere is incredible. The worldbuilding is more than just an art project. Highly recommended for anybody into hellscapes, if you can find a copy.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insanely difficult book to acquire but I managed to do so at some expense.

It is worth the money. The art is gorgeous. There's no single cohesive narrative but there are descriptions for each painting.

[Philip Athans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horrifyingly beautiful. And vice versa.

[Ashley Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superbly painted and richly imagined vision of hell from one of the great illustrators of our time. Not for your evangelical types.

[Eric Landreneau · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of art and narrative that brings Barlowe's detailed world-building of Expedition to Hell.
(Cue heavy metal riffs)
Yes, thre's some disturbing stuff in here. There should be. The's something inherently sacred to us about the human form, and Barlowe has a real knack for twisting that form around. It's a special kind of horror. Same reason why the xenomorphs from Alien were so frightening - because of their human traits (exaggerated human skeletal form, human-like tooth and jaw structure, fetal posture). In Inferno, Barlowe envisions an entire living landscape grown and tortured into a gnashing organ of torment. In this envisioning, Hell existed before the Fall, but now the fallen have mastered. Though corrupted, the Fallen Demons are angels still, aspiring to grace and beauty even in their exile. And so in this art, in the horror and cruelty and disregard of the sacred human soul, there is still beauty and striving.

[Phil Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic journey through hell as perceived through the eyes of an artist. Consider that it is much more fascinating from an artist's point of view to explore the dark rather than the light, even though we depend on the light to do our work! Barlowe includes symbolism of the darker side from many different cultures, which adds richness to the visuals. Very intriguing set of artworks.

[Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good luck locating a copy of the jewel... I waited years to finally pick up a used hardback copy. It functions as a pictorial companion to "God's Demon", but it's so much more than that. The art contained within is profound. Highly recommend you seek out this book!

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible art rendering of the creatures and landscapes of Dante's Inferno. Very recommended

[Denny]

Modern Day Inferno.