Rare, hand-signed E.A. (Épreuve d'Artiste) woodblock engraving "Les Traîtres Envers Leurs Hôtes" (The Betrayers of Their Hosts, Inferno #33) from Salvador Dalí's "La Divine Comédie" (Divine Comedy), printed on watermarked vellum paper and published by Editions d’art Les Heures Claires in Paris in 1963.  Mint condition.  Sheet size: 13 x 10 inches; image size: 9 1/2 x 7 inches.
 
Between 1951 and 1960, Dalí painted 100 watercolors in preparation for a publication of “The Divine Comedy”, in celebration of the 700th birthday of Dante Alighieri.  These watercolors explored the many myths and elements of this magnificent work of literature.  Dalí created 34 watercolors illustrating "Inferno", 33 illustrating "Purgatory", and 33 illustrating "Paradise".  In 1959, Editions d’art Les Heures Claires, the publisher of limited-edition books illustrated with fine art, agreed to undertake the publishing.  On May 19, 1960, an exhibition of the 100 watercolors illustrating the 14,000 verses of Dante Alighieri’s “The Divine Comedy” was presented, but it would take another three years until the publication was completed.  The illustrations of “The Divine Comedy” are considered by many to be the most creative body of work ever by Dalí.