Paul Gustave Louis Christophe Doré 1832–1883) — French artist and graphic artist, recognized by many critics and art historians as “the greatest illustrator of the XIX century”. And this is quite justified recognition of his merits in the field of book graphics and illustration, which in those years was experiencing a real dawning era, the good thing that books and magazines did not have to compete with television and the Internet, as they do now.
A ship in the ice
Paul came from the French city of Strasbourg. His father worked as an engineer, built bridges, generally earned a good living, and like any enlightened man at the time, he loved to read. He brought home newspapers and magazines, and little Paul enjoyed looking at the pictures in them. This awakened in him an interest in illustration: at the age of four he could already draw as well as any adult, and at the age of nine illustrated “The Divine Comedy” by Dante.
In 1847, fifteen-year-old Paul and his mother move to Paris, and enters the considered very prestigious lyceum Charlemagne. And at the same time, without wasting time, went to the editor of a popular French entertainment magazine with a series of his illustrations, dedicated to the exploits of Hercules. They impressed the editor so much that young Paul was accepted as a permanent employee with a handsome salary of 5,000 francs a year.
The apparition of Banquo's ghost. Illustration for “Macbeth”
Time and desire to get a special artistic education at Paul did not have time and desire to get a special art education, but he spent a lot of time in the Louvre and the National Library, where he carefully studied the engravings stored there. A year later, Doré presented his drawings at the Paris Salon in 1848. They were noticed and praised by critics, and Doré participated in the Salon continuously throughout his life.
In 20 years, Dore decided to abandon cooperation with the magazine, rightly reasoning that to work all his life as an ordinary magazine artist, sketched all sorts of everyday trifles, he is not to the status and talent, and engaged in a more prestigious book illustration. However, at first he had to illustrate cheap tabloid publications, but gradually, with the recognition of his merits, came and more serious orders.
Gargantua's childhood
The first of these is the illustrations for Rabelais's Gargantua and Pantagruel. Dore established himself as a master of creating convincing graphic images, which became canonical, allowing a fuller disclosure of the meaning and content of the book. Soon followed luxury expensive editions with illustrations by Doré, where the drawings perfectly complement and enrich the text, allowing you to visualize how certain literary characters looked and how they acted in the most memorable and expressive scenes.
In 1855, Doré illustrated “Balzac's Naughty Stories”, and then began a truly grandiose artwork: the creation of illustrations for Dante's “Divine Comedy”. Artwork on them dragged on and was not fully completed until 1869. But no one had ever been able to illustrate Alighieri's immortal work at such a high level.
Illustration for “Divine Comedy” by Dante, Inferno
Dore's popularity was so great that it already resembled some kind of mania. Every publisher wanted his books illustrated only by him, and readers did not want to buy editions with other drawings, even if much cheaper. Dore was swamped with lucrative orders and worked tirelessly. Art historians have estimated that the number of his drawings exceeded 44 thousand. Drawing he knew how to draw quickly and easily, and for one morning could earn 10 thousand francs, creating 20 fully prepared magnificent illustrations. “Great morning exercise” - he said to his friends, ‘and others for this money to work for two years, as I did in my youth’.
Oceanides
In 1862, Doré created the iconic illustrations for Charles Perrault's fairy tales, and the lavish book with them became known as “a gift for the king.”
Little Red Riding Hood
There were illustrations for “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen” and for the great novel “Don Quixote” by Cervantes, which no one has yet managed to surpass. And afterwards he illustrated the Bible, creating 230 magnificent drawings.
Bible illustration: An angel brings food and drink to the prophet Elijah
The reprint of this book with Dore drawings is still popular today, although it is very expensive.
Andromeda
Doré clearly proved that true talent is often more important than academic education. He achieved recognition, became rich and famous, but, unfortunately, he did not live too long - 51 years, leaving behind many illustrations that have become classics.
The immodest illustrations of pin-up master Gil Elvgren that still excite all men today
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