Daniel interpreting the writing on the wall (1866)

Gustave Doré prints show the most famous book illustrator of the 1800s at his most dramatic. Doré filled Dante's Inferno, the Bible, Don Quixote, Perrault's fairy tales and Poe's The Raven with soaring light, vast spaces and swirling crowds, and his pictures are still the ones many people imagine. Our collection of fine art prints includes his book illustrations, London scenes, Alpine and Highland views and paintings.

About Gustave Doré

Gustave Doré was born in Strasbourg on 6 January 1832. He had no formal art training, yet he published his first picture album, The Labours of Hercules, in 1847 at the age of 15, and the same year became a cartoonist for Charles Philipon's Journal pour rire.

His illustrated books made him famous across Europe: Dante's Inferno (1861), Perrault's fairy tales (1862), Don Quixote (1863), the Bible (1866), La Fontaine's Fables (1867) and London: A Pilgrimage (1872). His illustrations for Poe's The Raven appeared in 1884, after his death.

Doré drew in ink and wash straight onto the woodblock, and a team of craftsmen cut the lines, so his designs could be printed by the thousand. He also painted huge pictures and made sculpture. He died in Paris on 23 January 1883, aged 51.

Style and Subjects

Doré loved contrast. A shaft of light, a moon or a glowing figure shines out of deep darkness, as in Daniel Interpreting the Writing on the Wall. Tiny figures are dwarfed by mountains, cliffs, clouds or vast buildings, and crowds of people, angels or lost souls swirl across the page.

His line is rich and dense, built up from thousands of fine engraved strokes. He could be grand and frightening, as in Dante, gently funny, as in Don Quixote, or sharply observant, as in his scenes of the London poor.

Famous Works

• Dante and Virgil in the Ninth Circle of Hell (1861), Monastère royal de Brou, Bourg-en-Bresse. The two poets among the traitors frozen in ice.
• Paolo and Francesca da Rimini (1863). The doomed lovers of Dante's Inferno.
• Daniel Interpreting the Writing on the Wall (1866). A glowing figure in the darkness, from his Bible.
• The Walls of Jericho Falling Down (1866). The trumpets sound and the city walls fall, from his Bible.
• "Oh, Granny, Your Teeth Are Tremendous in Size" (Little Red Riding Hood) (1862). Red Riding Hood in bed with the wolf, from Perrault's tales.
• The Raven, Pl. 1 (1884). The opening plate of his illustrations for Poe's poem.
• Orange Court, Drury Lane (1872). A crowded London court, from London: A Pilgrimage.
• La Vallée des larmes (The Vale of Tears) (1883), Petit Palais, Paris. A late painting from the year of his death.

Decorating with Doré Prints

Doré's black-and-white engravings are made for a library, study, reading room or dark-walled hallway. A set of Dante or Raven plates in matching black frames creates a gothic, dramatic mood, while the Bible scenes suit a quiet corner or a stairwell.

His fairy-tale and Don Quixote pictures are fun choices for a child's room or family room, and the London scenes suit anyone who loves Dickens or old cities. Wide white mounts help the fine lines breathe.

FAQ

Who was Gustave Doré?

Gustave Doré (1832–1883) was a French illustrator, painter and sculptor from Strasbourg, the most famous book illustrator of the nineteenth century.

What is Gustave Doré's most famous work?

His illustrations for Dante's Inferno (1861) and the Bible (1866), along with Don Quixote, Perrault's fairy tales and Poe's The Raven.

How were Doré's illustrations made?

He drew in ink and wash straight onto the woodblock, and craftsmen cut the lines, so his pictures could be printed in very large numbers.

Did Doré have formal training?

No. He was self-taught and published his first picture album at 15.

Where can I see Doré's paintings?

The Petit Palais in Paris holds The Vale of Tears, and the Monastère royal de Brou in Bourg-en-Bresse holds Dante and Virgil in the Ninth Circle of Hell.

Related Artists

• William Blake: English visionary illustrator of Dante and the Bible
• John Martin: English painter of vast, dramatic biblical scenes
• Honoré Daumier: French master of the printed image
• J. J. Grandville: French illustrator of the generation before