Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-02
GustaVe DOre's illustrations of the
Bible.

The remarkable designs of Gustavt
Dore for the illustration of the new folio
edition of the Bible are thus described by
the London Star: at must be confessed
that they are very unequal. While some
Of the illustrations, in intense strength OF
conception and delicate workmanship, are
equal to anything that NJ. Dora has ever
produced, others, again, are forced and
weak. But we must remember the diff
cultiesunder which this prince of draughts-
men has labored. In the first place he
was bound to a certain class of subjects.
In the Inferno he found material in the
most vague suggestions, and was allowed
full scope for his Imagination in drawing
those world wide landscapes which only
his genius could have produced. In
choosing subjects from the Bible, he was
bound down by a chain of literal facts !;
scarcely one of the pictures had not been
attempted beforej people were familiar
with the scenes in which the most striking
events occurred; and, finally, it was re-
quired, to make the work complete, that
he should take subjects for which, we
should think Judging by his hitherto
published drawihgl he had little personal
liking. We know of a literary man
who was asked to write three inches of
poetry on a celebrated murder case, to fill
up the corner of a magazine, and we can
fancy Mr.. Dore setting down to certain
parts of his work with something of the
same feeling which might be stirred up in
the poets mind by his subject. Then
again, most of the pictures required to
illustrate the Bible are necessarily figure
compositions and Mr.. Dore is really a
drawer of landscape. In his illustrations
of Dante the figures are entirely subordi-
nate to the landscapes and in Don
Quixote,' where the figures are prominent,
the artist seeks refuge in the most extra
ordinary grOtesque.
SIT was, nevertheless, impossible for
Gustaye Dore to be unsuccessful. Messrs.
Cassells forthcoming Bible will contain
some of the most wonderful drawings
that have been executed by any artist;
and among these we may notice specially
the Return of the Ark This picture is
bathed in a flood of vague, misty sunlight,
which envelopes the reaPers, who stand in
the corn field, as we'll as the distant hill
over which the ark is being drawn. AT
this point there is Il sharp, clear space of
sunlight, and here the tumbrel, and the
oxen, and the wings of the cherubim, are
defined against the sky.
"Of the same character is the picture of
God creating light. Doubtless many peo-
pie will object to the representation of the
Almighty as an old man with q long
beard; but the artist will probably reply
and with reason, we think that he
merely represents the fgurative God of
he sacred text, whose mouth and nostrils
nd eyes are frequently spoken of by the
prophets.
'One of the most effective drawings. as
composition, is entitled Scene du Deluge!
l solitary pinnacle of rock jets up from
he great waste of waters, and on the sum-
nit of this rock stands Il tiger, which bears
S cub in its mouth, and stretches up
ard its great strong neck to save its ,
Dung. In the other details of the pic /
Ire NJ. Dore follows his many predeces-
)rs.
"Of the melo-dramatic and weak figure :
Samuel Staying Agag' is an ex- =
mple and there are others that are al l
rendered ludicrous by the expression
IS and impossible faces of tee women.
furthermore, NJ. Dore has occasionally
Iffered at the hands Of his wood cutter.
1t indeed it is rather a matter of surprise
at, so many different cutters having c
'en employed, he has not suffered more.
"Of those pictures which include a great
of detail, aud are eminently salts A
we may mention the Passage Of =,
e Jordan abraham andshis FlocEs en- :
ring Canaan and 'Pharaoh's Host in
Red Sea- though in the last M. =
IRE has boldly broken away from anv =
eral facts about the Red Sea, and renre-
ats the ocean bed as of immense dentb 8
d the waves as mountain high"