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Biography of Gustave Doré

Lush and bizarre fantasy

Paul Gustave Doré was born on January 6th Born in Strasbourg, France in 1832. He is considered one of the most important, productive and successful book illustrators and mediators of European culture of the late 19th century.

He was predominantly self-taught and even as a child he showed his inclinations for painting and drawing. In 1845 Doré came to Paris. In 1848 he became an employee of the “Journal pour rire”.

With lush and bizarre imagination, Gustave Doré created dreamy scenes and illustrated works from world literature such as Dante's “Inferno”, Cervantes “Don Quixote”, John Milton's “ Paradise Lost ”, Edgar Allan Poe's“ The Raven ”, works by Homer, Lord Byron, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and many others. The illustration for “Divine Comedy” by Dante Alighieri in 1868 was the culmination of Doré's career.

His diverse oeuvre spans many directions from comics to Bible illustrations. Doré even influenced Hollywood film production. Some representations in the well-known films like, King Kong, some creatures of the Star Wars universe, Totenbaum in "Sleepy Hollow" are similar to Doré's illustrations. He was also active as a painter, draftsman, etcher and later even as a sculptor.

The artist had a peculiar style. He liked to use the Chiaroscuro technique, which contrasts light and dark painting. Fine details, realistic representations of fantastic creatures or showmen gave his paintings a deep and mystical meaning. His drawings appear minimalistic but dramatic, radiate deep emotions and create a powerful image. The works that shaped him were grotesque, macabre, full of fantasy and exaggeration. Gustave Doré documented the Crimean War with his drawings, dealt with the Paris Communards and the proletariat in London and painted many watercolors of landscapes. Two of Doré's most successful oil paintings were "Paolo and Francesca da Rimini" (1863) and "The Neophyte" (1868). Illustrations for the English Bible (1866) and sheets for Charles Perrault's fairy tales were also very successful.

In 1867 Doré had a large exhibition of his works in London. This led to the establishment of the Doré Gallery on New Bond Street.

Doré did not make all of his engravings himself. He had a studio with 40 employees who could satisfy the great demand for Doré's illustrations and drawings. The galleries in Vienna, London and other cities sold his original works, as well as reproductions of the book illustrations, which was financially very profitable for the artist and enabled a carefree life.

Five years before his death, in 1877, he turned Doré of sculpture. Out of passion and without special training, the master created ingenious marble and bronze sculptures that shaped the sculpture art of the 1870s. His last work was a memorial to Alexandre Dumas.

Doré never married and continued to live with his mother in Paris. He worked very productively and diligently, despite this, on the one hand he was plagued by the feeling that he was not done enough and on the other hand he never felt properly understood. Nobody knows how many drawings he made. He worked from early in the morning until late in the evening and made thousands of drawings.

Gustave Doré died of a heart attack on January 23, 1883

Biography of Gustave Doré

Paul Gustave Doré was born on January 6, 1832, in Strasbourg, France. He is regarded as one of the most significant, prolific, and successful book illustrators and conveyors of European culture in the late 19th century. Predominantly self-taught, he showed an inclination towards painting and drawing from a young age. Doré arrived in Paris in 1845 and by 1848, he was contributing to the "Journal pour rire."

With lavish and bizarre imagination, Gustave Doré created dreamlike scenes and illustrated works of world literature such as Dante's "Inferno," Cervantes' "Don Quixote," John Milton's "Paradise Lost," Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven," works by Homer, Lord Byron, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and many others. The illustrations for Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" in 1868 were the crowning achievement of Doré's career.

His diverse oeuvre encompasses many directions from comics to Bible illustrations. Doré even influenced Hollywood film production. Some depictions in well-known films like King Kong, certain creatures in the Star Wars universe, and the Dead Tree in "Sleepy Hollow" resemble Doré's illustrations. He was also active as a painter, draftsman, etcher, and later even as a sculptor.

The artist had a peculiar style. He often used the chiaroscuro technique, contrasting light and dark painting. Fine details and realistic depictions of fantastic creatures or entertainers lent his paintings depth and mystical significance. His drawings appear minimalist yet dramatic, exuding deep emotions and creating a powerful image. Works that shaped him were grotesque, macabre, full of imagination, and exaggerations. Gustave Doré documented the Crimean War with his drawings, dealt with the Parisian Communards and the proletariat in London, and painted many watercolors of landscapes. Two of Doré's most successful oil paintings were "Paolo and Francesca da Rimini" (1863) and "The Neophyte" (1868). Illustrations for the English Bible (1866) and plates for Charles Perrault's fairy tales were also very successful.

In 1867, Doré had a major exhibition of his works in London, leading to the establishment of the Doré Gallery on New Bond Street.

Doré did not create all his engravings himself. He had a studio with 40 employees who could meet the high demand for Doré's illustrations and drawings. Galleries in Vienna, London, and other cities sold his original works as well as reproductions of book illustrations, which was financially very profitable for the artist and allowed for a worry-free life.

Five years before his death, in 1877, Doré turned to sculpture. Out of passion and without special training, the master created ingenious marble and bronze sculptures that shaped the sculpture art of the 1870s. His last work was a monument for Alexandre Dumas.

Doré never married and continued to live with his mother in Paris. He worked very productively and diligently, yet he was tormented by the feeling that he hadn't done enough and never felt truly understood. No one knows how many drawings he made. He worked from early morning until late at night, producing thousands of drawings.

On January 23, 1883, Gustave Doré died from a heart attack.

All images by Gustave Doré

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Illustration zum Paradiso, 31. Gesang, Vers 1–3

Illustration zum Paradiso,... from Gustave Doré

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The Confusion of Tongues from Gustave Doré

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Illustration to the book "Don Quixote de la Mancha" by M. de Cervantes

Illustration to the book "... from Gustave Doré

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Arrival of Charon. Illustration to the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

Arrival of Charon. Illustr... from Gustave Doré

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Paolo and Francesca from Gustave Doré

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A canyon from Gustave Doré

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Illustration to the book "... from Gustave Doré

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Paris Commune (1) from Gustave Doré

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Illustration for "Les contes" by Charles Perrault

Illustration for "Les cont... from Gustave Doré

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Inferno. Illustration to the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

Inferno. Illustration to t... from Gustave Doré

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La Siesta, Memory of Spain from Gustave Doré

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Raphael talks to Adam and Eve. Illustration for John Milton's "Paradise Lost"

Raphael talks to Adam and ... from Gustave Doré

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Shakespeare, Sommernachtst... from Gustave Doré

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The ''Night-mare Life-in-Death'' plays dice with Death for the souls of the crew, scene from ''The R

The ''Night-mare Life-in-D... from Gustave Doré

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Illustration to the book "Don Quijote de la Mancha" by M. de Cervantes

Illustration to the book "... from Gustave Doré

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Gilliatt struggles with the giant octopus, illustration from ''Les Travailleurs de la Mer'' by Victo

Gilliatt struggles with th... from Gustave Doré

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A international punch. Drawing for magazine "Le journal pour rire"

A international punch. Dra... from Gustave Doré

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The Deluge (Frontispiece to the illustrated edition of the Bible)

The Deluge (Frontispiece t... from Gustave Doré

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The Mariner regrets his shooting of the Albatross, scene from ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' S.

The Mariner regrets his sh... from Gustave Doré

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The ship continues to sail miraculously, moved by a troupe of angelic spirits, scene from ''The Rime

The ship continues to sail... from Gustave Doré

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Between Heaven and Earth from Gustave Doré

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Asleep under the Stars, illustration from ''London, a Pilgrimage''

Asleep under the Stars, il... from Gustave Doré

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Babylon Has Fallen from Gustave Doré

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The Mariner, having finished his story, turns to leave, while his listener, the wedding guest gazes

The Mariner, having finish... from Gustave Doré

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The mariner, as his ship is sinking, sees the boat with the Hermit and Pilot, scene from ''The Rime

The mariner, as his ship i... from Gustave Doré

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The albatross is shot the Mariner, scene from ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner''S.T. Coleridge, S.T

The albatross is shot the ... from Gustave Doré

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The Enigma from Gustave Doré

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Les Saltimbanques from Gustave Doré

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The appearance of the albatross to lead the marooned ship out of the frozen seas of Antartica, scene

The appearance of the alba... from Gustave Doré

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Ship in stormy sea, scene from ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' S.T. Coleridge,S.T. Coleridge, pu

Ship in stormy sea, scene ... from Gustave Doré

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Christmas Eve (w/c & gouac... from Gustave Doré

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Dante and Virgil in Hell, illustration from ''The Divine Comedy''

Dante and Virgil in Hell, ... from Gustave Doré

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The Moonlight Ride, illustration from ''Idylls of the King'' Alfred Tennyson

The Moonlight Ride, illust... from Gustave Doré

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The Cirque at Gavarnie, 1882 (w/c on paper)

The Cirque at Gavarnie, 18... from Gustave Doré

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Virgil (70-19 BC) and Dante looking at the spider woman, illustration from ''The Divine Comedy'' (In

Virgil (70-19 BC) and Dant... from Gustave Doré

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Scottish Landscape from Gustave Doré

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The marooned ship in a moonlit sea, scene from ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' S.T. Coleridge,S.

The marooned ship in a moo... from Gustave Doré

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Title page from ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' S.T. Coleridge,S.T. Coleridge, publishedHarper &

Title page from ''The Rime... from Gustave Doré

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Dudley Street, Seven Dials, from ''London: A Pilgrimage''

Dudley Street, Seven Dials... from Gustave Doré

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Tavern in Whitechapel from Gustave Doré

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The Charity of the Fishmon... from Gustave Doré

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The Mariner has been condemned to travel unceasingly from country to country, scene from ''The Rime

The Mariner has been conde... from Gustave Doré

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The Wedding Guest being detained the Ancient Mariner, opening scene of ''The Rime of the Ancient Mar

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Under the Arches, illustration from ''London, A Pilgrimage''

Under the Arches, illustra... from Gustave Doré

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A Riverside Street, from ''London, a Pilgrimage'', written by William Blanchard Jerrold (1826-84) &

A Riverside Street, from '... from Gustave Doré

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The siege of Paris from Gustave Doré

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Jephta daughter from Gustave Doré

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A Canyon from Gustave Doré

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Adelina Patti (weibliches Brustbildnis).

Adelina Patti (weibliches ... from Gustave Doré

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Ein Militärlager. from Gustave Doré

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History of Holy Russia. Nicholas I makes a speech before the Guards

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History of Holy Russia. A great ball in the Winter Palace

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The hoarders and wasters. Illustration to the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

The hoarders and wasters. ... from Gustave Doré

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The doctors from Gustave Doré

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Jean de La Fontaine (1621-... from Gustave Doré

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Dante Alighieri (1265-1321... from Gustave Doré

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Illustration to the book "Gargantua and Pantagruel" by Rabelais

Illustration to the book "... from Gustave Doré

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Inferno. Illustration to t... from Gustave Doré

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Illustration for fairytale Bluebeard by Charles Perrault

Illustration for fairytale... from Gustave Doré

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Illustration for the poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe

Illustration for the poem ... from Gustave Doré

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Illustration for the poem ... from Gustave Doré

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Illustration for the poem ... from Gustave Doré

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Illustration for "Les cont... from Gustave Doré

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Illustration for "Les cont... from Gustave Doré

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Illustration to the book "The Surprising Adventures of Baron Münchhausen" by Rudolph Erich Raspe

Illustration to the book "... from Gustave Doré

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Illustration to the book "... from Gustave Doré

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Isaiah's Vision of the Destruction of Babylon

Isaiah's Vision of the Des... from Gustave Doré

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Bluebeard (La Barbe bleue) from Gustave Doré

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Portrait of the actress Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923)

Portrait of the actress Sa... from Gustave Doré

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The Wedding Guest being prevented the Ancient Mariner from attending the wedding, scene from ''The R

The Wedding Guest being pr... from Gustave Doré

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Ship in Antartica, scene from ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' S.T. Coleridge,S.T. Coleridge, pub

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Death-fires dancing around the becalmed ship, scene from ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' S.T. Co

Death-fires dancing around... from Gustave Doré

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The sailors curse the Mariner, forced to wear the dead albatross around his neck, scene from ''The R

The sailors curse the Mari... from Gustave Doré

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The Ancient Mariner with the Wedding Guest first page of ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'', S.T. C

The Ancient Mariner with t... from Gustave Doré

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The two fellow spirits of the Spirit of the South Pole ask the question why the ship travels so swif

The two fellow spirits of ... from Gustave Doré

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The Spirit that had followed the ship from the Antartic, scene from ''The Rime of the Ancient Marine

The Spirit that had follow... from Gustave Doré

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The sailors see in the distance a ghostly ship, scene from ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' S.T.

The sailors see in the dis... from Gustave Doré

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The rain begins to fall, scene from ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' S.T. Coleridge,S.T. Coleridg

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The Pilot faints, scene from ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'' S.T. Coleridge,S.T. Coleridge, publ

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The Mariner, condemned to travel unceasingly from country to country, is also condemned to relate hi

The Mariner, condemned to ... from Gustave Doré

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