If I had to pick one word to differ Bourguereau's illustration from Art Scheffer's: kinkier.

First, that's quite some manflesh going on there -- all nekkid, taut, and toned.

Second -- especially when compared to Francesa de Rimini and her Paolo's demure and romantic embrace -- Bourguereau's pair is locked in a much more dynamic and aggressive grip. Red Hair is driving his knee the small of Swarthy's back (ouch!), wrenching Swarthy's arm from its socket, sucking Swarthy's blood, while finally trying to carve Swarthy a new tattoo. Swarthy fights back by pulling on Red Hair's ear and screaming. It's a dynamic tableau.

'Course, initially I thought maybe this was a loving gay couple engaged in a little bout of S&M gone slightly awry when one partner became just a trifle overenthusiastic. But they are in fact just a few more of Hell's kooky inhabitants that Virgil and Dante encounter during their journey. Note just off the top centre of the scene, a freaky winged man-thing swoops down to leer.

Red Hair, if you look closely, is in fact a demon. Let's face it, goat ears are never indicative of a Heaven-approved genetic profile. Swarthy just looks like a poor soul, but then again, if he's in Hell, he's done something to deserve it. Then again, he may have died in a time when eating pork on Monday earned you a one-way ticket to Lucifer's bower.

In near-complete shadow are Virgil and Dante, and though turned away, keep their eyes on the scene. There's just something too irresistible about two nude men engaged in a violent wrestling match, am I right? No, don't agree.