Paul Gustave Louis Christophe Doré ( , , ; 6January 1832 – 23January 1883) was a French printmaker, illustrator, painter, comics artist, caricaturist, and

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

. He is best known for his prolific output of wood-engravings illustrating classic literature, especially those for the Vulgate Bible and Dante's ''

Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' (, ) is an Italian narrative poetry, narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun and completed around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of ...

''. These achieved great international success, and he became renowned for printmaking, although his role was normally as the designer only; at the height of his career some 40 block-cutters were employed to cut his drawings onto the wooden printing blocks, usually also signing the image. He created over 10,000 illustrations, the most important of which were copied using an electrotype process using cylinder presses, allowing very large print runs to be published simultaneously in many countries. Although Doré's work was popular with the general public during his life, it was met with mixed reviews from contemporary art critics. His work has been more widely celebrated in the centuries following his death. Among his admirers were writers H. P. Lovecraft and Théophile Gautier.

Biography

Doré was born in

Strasbourg Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...

on 6January 1832. At the age of15, Doré began his career working as a caricaturist for the French paper ''Le journal pour rire''. The illustrations of J. J. Grandville have been noted as an influence on his work.Rose, Cynthia. 2020.
J. J. Grandvill: A Matter of Line and Death. The Comics Journal.
' (accessed 19 July 2022) Wood-engraving was his primary method at this time. In the late 1840s and early 1850s, he made several

text comics Text comics or a text comic is a form of comics where the stories are told in Cartoon caption, captions below the images and without the use of speech balloons. It is the oldest form of comics and was especially dominant in European comics from t ...

, like ''Les Travaux d'Hercule'' (1847), ''Trois artistes incompris et mécontents'' (1851), ''Les Dés-agréments d'un voyage d'agrément'' (1851) and ''L'Histoire de la Sainte Russie'' (1854). Doré subsequently went on to win commissions to depict scenes from books by Cervantes, Rabelais, Balzac, Milton, and

Dante Dante Alighieri (; most likely baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri; – September 14, 1321), widely known mononymously as Dante, was an Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer, and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called ...

. He also illustrated "Gargantua et Pantagruel" in 1854. In 1853 Doré was asked to illustrate the works of

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...

. This commission was followed by additional work for British publishers, including a new illustrated

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

. In 1856 he produced 12folio-size illustrations of ''The Legend of The Wandering Jew'', which propagated longstanding antisemitic views of the time, for a short poem which Pierre-Jean de Béranger had derived from a novel of

Eugène Sue Marie-Joseph "Eugène" Sue (; 26 January 18043 August 1857) was a French novelist. He was one of several authors who popularized the genre of the serial novel in France with his very popular and widely imitated '' The Mysteries of Paris'', whi ...

of 1845.

In the 1860s he illustrated a French edition of Cervantes's ''

Don Quixote , the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...

'', and his depictions of the knight and his squire,

Sancho Panza Sancho Panza (; ) is a fictional character in the novel ''Don Quixote'' written by Spain, Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra in 1605. Sancho acts as squire to Don Quixote and provides comments throughout the novel, ...

, became so famous that they influenced subsequent readers, artists, and stage and film directors' ideas of the physical "look" of the two characters. Doré also illustrated an oversized edition of

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales involving mystery and the macabre. He is widely re ...

's "

The Raven "The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a distraught lover who is paid a visit ...

", an endeavor that earned him 30,000 francs from publisher

Harper & Brothers Harper is an American publishing house, the flagship Imprint (trade name), imprint of global publisher HarperCollins, based in New York City. Founded in New York in 1817 by James Harper (publisher), James Harper and his brother John, the compan ...

in 1883. The government of France made him a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1861. Doré's illustrations for the Bible (1866) were a great success, and in 1867 Doré had a major exhibition of his work in London. This exhibition led to the foundation of the Doré Gallery in Bond Street, London. In 1869, Blanchard Jerrold, the son of Douglas William Jerrold, suggested that they work together to produce a comprehensive portrait of London. Jerrold had obtained the idea from ''The Microcosm of London'' produced by Rudolph Ackermann, William Pyne, and Thomas Rowlandson (published in three volumes from 1808 to 1810). Doré signed a five-year contract with the publishers Grant & Co that involved his staying in London for three months a year, and he received the vast sum of £10,000 a year for the project. Doré was celebrated for his paintings in his day, but his wood-engravings, like those he did for Jerrold, are where he excelled as an artist with an individual vision. The completed book '' London: A Pilgrimage'', with 180wood engravings, was published in 1872. It enjoyed commercial and popular success, but the work was disliked by some contemporary British critics, as it appeared to focus on the poverty that existed in parts of London. Doré was accused by '' The Art Journal'' of "inventing rather than copying." The ''Westminster Review'' claimed that "Doré gives us sketches in which the commonest, the vulgarest external features are set down." But they impressed

Vincent van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade, he created approximately 2,100 artworks ...

, who painted a version of the ''Prisoners' Round'' in 1890, the year of his death. The book was a financial success, however, and Doré received commissions from other British publishers. Doré's later work included illustrations for new editions of Coleridge's '' Rime of the Ancient Mariner'', Milton's ''

Paradise Lost ''Paradise Lost'' is an Epic poetry, epic poem in blank verse by the English poet John Milton (1608–1674). The poem concerns the Bible, biblical story of the fall of man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their ex ...

'',

Tennyson Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (; 6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's ...

's '' Idylls of the King'', ''The Works of

Thomas Hood Thomas Hood (23 May 1799 – 3 May 1845) was an English poet, author and humorist, best known for poems such as "The Bridge of Sighs (poem), The Bridge of Sighs" and "The Song of the Shirt". Hood wrote regularly for ''The London Magazine'', '' ...

'', and ''

The Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' (, ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun and completed around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature and one of the greatest wor ...

''. Doré's work also appeared in the weekly newspaper ''

The Illustrated London News ''The Illustrated London News'', founded by Herbert Ingram and first published on Saturday 14 May 1842, was the world's first illustrated weekly news magazine. The magazine was published weekly for most of its existence, switched to a less freq ...

''. The medical doctor Jean-Baptiste Fuzier, who was a specialist in yellow fever and other tropical diseases, bequeathed watercolor paintings by Doré to the museum of

Grenoble Grenoble ( ; ; or ; or ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of the Isère Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region ...

in 1880. According to the Musée de Grenoble, Doré developed his expertise as a watercolorist during a trip to Scotland in 1873.

Death

Doré never married and, following the death of his father in 1849, he continued to live with his mother, illustrating books until his death of a heart attack in Paris on January23, 1883, following a short illness. At the time of his death Doré was working on illustrations for an edition of

Shakespeare's plays Shakespeare's plays are a canon of approximately 39 dramatic works written by the English playwright and poet William Shakespeare. The exact number of plays as well as their classifications as Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy, Shakespearean histor ...

Works

Doré was a prolific artist; thus the following list of works is not complete and it does not include his paintings, sculptures, and many of his journal illustrations:

Reception and legacy

Doré's work received mixed reviews from contemporary art critics, but he was widely acclaimed by the general public. He was adored by many writers and poets, who felt he "brought their wildest dreams and fantasies to life". Théophile Gautier for example stated "Nobody better than this artist can give a mysterious and deep vitality to chimeras, dreams, nightmares, intangible shapes bathed in light and shade, weirdly caricatured silhouettes and all the monsters of fantasy." H.P. Lovecraft drew inspiration from Doré's ''Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' illustrations in his formative years.

Gallery

File:024.Jacob Wrestles with the Angel.jpg, ''

Jacob wrestling with the angel Jacob wrestling with the angel is described in the Book of Genesis (Genesis 32, chapter 32:22–32; also referenced in the Book of Hosea, Hosea 12, chapter 12:3–5). The "Angels in Judaism, angel" in question is referred to as "man" (: ''Ish'') a ...

'', 1855 File:Destruction of Leviathan.png, ''Destruction of Leviathan'', 1865 File:The Vision of The Valley of The Dry Bones.jpg, ''The Vision of The Valley of The Dry Bones'', 1866 File:Gustave Doré - The Holy Bible - Plate I, The Deluge.jpg, ''The Deluge'', 1866 File:Confusion of Tongues.png, Engraving '' The Tower of Babel or the Confusion of Tongues'', 1866 File:Dore-I had done a hellish thing.jpg, '' The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' File:Idylls of the King 3.jpg, Edyrn with His Lady and Dwarf Journey to Arthur's Court, in '' Idylls of the King'' by Lord Alfred Tennyson, illustrated by Gustave Doré File:Dore ridinghood.jpg, '' Little Red Riding Hood'' File:Gustave dore cendrillon4.JPG, Doré illustrated several fairy tales: ''Cendrillon'' (or

Cinderella "Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...

) File:La Belle au Bois Dormant - third of six engravings by Gustave Doré.jpg, La Belle au Bois Dormant - third of six engravings by Gustave Doré File:Gustave Doré, A Backstreet in London, 1868, NGA 141211.jpg, Drawing, ''A Backstreet in London'' (1868; National Gallery of Art, Washington) File:Dore London.jpg, ''Over London by Rail'' Gustave Doré c 1870. From ''London: A Pilgrimage'' File:Gustave Doré - Ludgate Hill.png, ''Ludgate Hill - A block in the Street'', 1872. From ''London: A Pilgrimage'' File:Gustave dore crusades troubadours singing the glories of the crusades.jpg, ''Crusades troubadours singing the glories of the crusades'' File:Don Quijote illustrated by Gustav Dore II.jpg, ''Don Quixote'' illustrated by Gustave Doré. File:Don Quijote illustrated by Gustav Dore III.jpg, ''Don Quixote'' illustrated by Gustave Doré, another one of the 500 pieces Doré created for the work. File:Don Quijote illustrated by Gustav Dore IV.jpg, Miguel de Cervantes's ''Don Quixote'' illustrated by Gustave Doré File:Don Quijote illustrated by Gustav Dore V.jpg, Another example of ''Don Quixote'' (Don Quijote in Spanish) illustrated by Gustave Doré File:Gustave Dore illustration.jpg, Rabelais's ''Gargantua'' (English translation) File:Paris-dumas-monument02.jpg, The Dumas Monument in Paris File:USA-San Francisco-Le Poème de la Vigne by Gustave Doré-3.jpg, '' Le Poème de la Vigne'' or ''The Vintage Vase'', version in

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

File:Доре Парка і божок кохання Ерот 1877.jpg, ''Cupid and Time'', modello in terracotta File:LeTemps fauchant les amours.jpg, A clock with ''Time defeating Loves'', cast 1879 File:Maenads in a Wood, by Gustave Dore, 1879, plaster - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston - 20180922 150837.jpg, ''

Maenads In Greek mythology, maenads (; ) were the female followers of Dionysus and the most significant members of his retinue, the ''thiasus''. Their name, which comes from :wikt:μαίνομαι#Ancient Greek, μαίνομαι (''maínomai'', “to ...

in a Wood'', 1879, plaster modello,

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston The Museum of Fine Arts (often abbreviated as MFA Boston or MFA) is an art museum in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the list of largest art museums, 20th-largest art museum in the world, measured by public gallery area. It contains 8,161 painting ...

File:Gustave Doré - Roland à Roncevaux.jpg, ''Roland à Roncevaux'', private collection, Paris File:Dore, Gustave; La Sainte Trinite.jpg, ''La Sainte Trinité'', Glynn Vivian Art Gallery File:Ecce Homo Gustave Doré.jpg, ''Ecce Homo'', Glynn Vivian Art Gallery File:La folie.jpg, ''La folie'', Glynn Vivian Art Gallery File:Les Oceanides Les Naiades de la mer.jpg, '' The Oceanids (The Naiads of the Sea)'', 1860s File:Gustave Doré - Paolo and Francesca da Rimini.jpg, ''Paolo and Francesca da Rimini'', 1863 File:Le Christ quittant le prétoire-Gustave Doré (3).jpg, '' Christ Leaving the Praetorium'' 1867–1872, Strasbourg Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art File:Le Christ quittant le prétoire-Gustave Doré (2).jpg, '' Christ Leaving the Praetorium'' in the room of the Strasbourg Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art where it hangs File:Paul Gustave Dore Andromeda.jpg, '' Andromède'', 1869, Chimei Museum, Tainan, Taiwan File:Gustave Doré-Soir en Alsace.jpg, ''Soir en Alsace'', 1869 File:Gustave Dore - La Siesta, Memory of Spain - Google Art Project.jpg, ''La Siesta, Memory of Spain'', File:Gustave Doré - Flower Sellers of London - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Flower Sellers of London'', File:Gustave Doré - Loch Lomond.jpg, ''

Loch Lomond Loch Lomond (; ) is a freshwater Scottish loch which crosses the Highland Boundary Fault (HBF), often considered the boundary between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands.Tom Weir. ''The Scottish Lochs''. pp. 33-43. Published by ...

'', 1875 File:Gustave Doré - Scottish Highlands - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Landscape in Scotland'', ca. 1875, Toledo Museum of Art File:Gustave Doré - Landscape in Scotland - Walters 372625.jpg, ''Landscape in Scotland'', ca. 1878,

Walters Art Museum The Walters Art Museum is a public art museum located in the Mount Vernon, Baltimore, Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. Founded and opened in 1934, it holds collections from the mid-19th century that were amassed substantially ...

File:Gustave Doré-Mont Sainte-Odile avec mur païen.jpg, ''Mont Sainte-Odile avec mur païen'', by 1883 File:Gustave Doré - La Vallée de larmes.jpg, '' The Valley of Tears'', 1883 File:The Triumph Of Christianity Over Paganism.Gustave Doré.jpg, ''The Triumph Of Christianity Over Paganism'' (1868)

References

External links

* * *
Gustave Doré Digital Collection of Illustrations
from the University at Buffalo Libraries * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dore, Gustave Gustave Doré 1832 births 1883 deaths 19th-century French engravers 19th-century French illustrators 19th-century French painters Artists from Strasbourg French Roman Catholics French male painters French engravers French wood engravers French caricaturists French comics artists French children's book illustrators French fantasy artists Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery Illustrators of fairy tales Woodcut designers Painters from Alsace Catholic painters Catholic sculptors Catholic engravers 19th-century French male artists