Le Christ sortant du tombeau. Artist: Gustave Doré (French, Strasbourg 1832-1883 Paris); Date: 1850-83; CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
A prolific and extremely talented wood and steel engraver, illustrator, and sculptor Gustave Doré created masterful illustrated Visions.
Angels, demons, historical drama, and human tragedy filled Doré detailed etchings. The Paradise Lost and Dante's Divine Comedy illustrations have become so praised that many have become macabre popular culture items in their own right.
Gustave Dore's vast works are narrative and iconic, featuring dramatic use of contrast and no aversion to darker themes. His large compositions and intricately detailed etching fit well with the historically weighty projects Doré commonly took on. We have selected some of our favorite pieces from the Paradise Lost & Divine Comedy series as well as others.
L'Énigme 1871 - Gustave Doré monumental oil on canvas painting © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée d'Orsay) depicts a mythical sphinx above the ruins of battle
Minos, King of Crete, Illustration from "The Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri, Gustave Doré © RMN-Grand Palais (Musée d'Orsay)
Gustave Doré Death on the Pale Horse 1865 engraving "I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth."
Gustave Doré Prints & Product
View Dark Art & Craft Gustave Doré limited reproduction Art prints
Images via en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Dor unless otherwise noted
Illustration for John Milton’s “Paradise Lost“
Gustave Dore - Loch Lomond, 1875
Lucifer Descends Gustave Doré
Doré's plate illustrating the Tennyson's line: "At Merlin's feet the wily Vivien lay".
The Inferno Canto 13 by Gustave Doré
Geryon for The Divine Comedy, Image via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Dor%C3%A9
Dante finds himself lost in a gloomy wood, from Canto 1 of Divine Comedy, illustrated by Paul Gustave Doré (1832-1883). The image is from an 1861 edition of Dante's Inferno
Illustration for John Milton’s “Paradise Lost“
"Flood Destroying the World" Image via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flood_destroying_the_world.jpg {{PD-US}}
Illustration for John Milton’s “Paradise Lost“
Félix Nadar 1820-1910 portraits Gustave Doré commons.wikimedia.org {{PD-US}}
Resources & Links
View Dark Art & Craft Gustave Doré reproduction art prints and framed prints
Gustave Doré, The Dark Divine Comedy on Pinterest
Gustave Doré’s Hauntingly Beautiful Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno - Brainpickings
