La Grande rencontre

"La Grande rencontre" is a painting inspired by "La dividia comedia". Dante Alighieri, its author, seemed to have fallen for Beatrice, however, his first (and probably last) love was unrequited and never directly confessed. One of the reasons Dante's love was never confessed was because of Beatrice's early death. In order to tolerate the sorrow he felt, the author-poet dedicated two of his literary works to her. 

Hence, the woman depicted in the painting is Beatrice waiting for Dante at the gate of heaven. The man depicted has to make a long leap in order to get to her. Having gone through hell and being at the top of purgatory he has cleansed himself from his sins but Satan is still waiting for him to make a mistake so he could take him back,my choice to paint Satan with black angel wings originated from myths considering him as a fallen angel. The man fading in the back is Virgil, the Roman teacher Dante admired the most and his company on his trip there. The reason Virgil is fading away is because his presence is meaningless there as he has completed his purpose. Dante tries to reach Beatrice's hand, but Beatrice cannot do anything apart from stretching her hand because it's his own fight and she has no right to intervene.