The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-17
Gustaye Dore in Londv.i.

Pdris correspondence London Athen@um.
1t is provoking to all who have been watchers
Of Gustave Dore's most patient progress towards
the high place he is destined to ill in the art
of his country to reod the many stories which
appear to be circulating freely about him in
England. He is prais)d without stint for his
skill, he is ADMIRED for his undoubted genius,
but above all he is CONNIE nded for his astonish-
ing productiveness l am quite prepared to
think there are people who are convinced that
Nj. Dore is in the habit of COM mpletng picture
at sitting, and making drawings while
he is in tho BARRIERS hands. They set
nought down to scholarship, and all to
intuition. As though his Triumph OF
Christianity" could be painted by uncultured
genius! As though the Neophyte in the
sd on could be put upon canvas by hands that
had not been tried through many years of
honest wotk The quantity of illustration
which Dore has produced is immense; bat
pc pie forget to spread 1t over twenty years. He
was a child when, IN lS4S, he produced his
"Labors OF Hercules" In the wide round of
his activities he has never travelled from the
purpose with which he seth for,h-a vail ant
boy bent on being, through toll and constancy,
a Consummate master OF his beloved art.
While ] read surface notes on him, in
which be is presented 10 my couutrymen
a. one who has made hop, SKIP, and jump
into the temple OF Fame, ! call him to mind
fourteen years ago, when l first saw him
shaping the legend of thea Wandering jew" in
his modest quarters, rue Dominique S.. Ger
main. l have been SHOCKED with this memory
upon me To see him uoticed as a hasty producer
OF illustrations; the TACT beng that in his
earliest day, when the temptation to over pro.
duction was greatest he Lived in dream'and
OF high thoueht, and was rapid because he
was intense. The aim was then what 1t Is now.
great ideal lies behind the artists life, 10
which he attends, living laborious days. IL Is
because some fourteen years ago had the happl-
ness to set before the readers of the Athengunl
DOrc's early work OF promise-"Th Wandering
Jew'-and because since that time | have
watched his art at his elbow, that | am
ANXIOUS to explain his presence in Bond street
as hat OF a noble worker, as well as brilliant
genius. Observe Oore'5, popular work Take
him from l84S, when boy, he produced The
Labors OF Hercdles" IN the midst OF a revolu-
tion! The first work was followed by some
rare albums. Wfo has touched Rabelais as
Dore interpreted HIM before he had come to
mans estate Rabe'ais appeared IN 1853; in
| the following year the weird dreams of the
Wandering Jew. We shall see a slken thread
running through all these years. From the
"Wandering jew the artist betook himself to
the mighty dreamland of Dante QS6l. OF
the traces in the immense range of subjects
graspel in Don QuiXote' QS63); OF this and
something more. The little pictures are
new charm-light and true and humorous
- sbONiug the illustrator of R4belais
graCed and strengthened by years OF study.
] he quick sense of the picturesque, the cou.
pleleness with which the knight and his mau
are conceived, the exquisite bits OF, and hinis
at, Spanish scenery and types. are evidences of
the kind of student who crossed the BldassO9
some six years ago. ana stole gIances at dark
eyes under the manulla, and teasted on the
sweet rich lght-and shade OF Penns ular cities.
These pencil touches are graceS OF man of
power IN his play ful mood, who has Mr.. Glad
stones idea OF recreation. 10 Dore play is but a
| change of employment He who wants to see
the Iarer iruIt which Frances most popular
artist brought away from the realms OF Isabella,
must seek it on the walls OF the German
| Gallery-in the study OF vagabonds, made at
Grenada-n the interior OF Seville Cathedral,
where the shrOuded ladies are kneelng-ln the
Spanish beggars whining aud loungng, very
beEgas, at the door of a Churchin the group
of poor Cordova children, the fortuue-teller,
the dancinglesson. The sketches in Don
| QujXotte" were the waysde gatherings of the
Spanish travel; but in these patiently
completed pictures lie the solid, slow.comlng
fruits which every artist who rehgiously
nurtureS his genius gives sparngy to the
", rid. Haphazard takers and thinkers esti.
mate Dore and chatter about him as the hero OF
| tours de force with his pencil and his brush.
| How should they know that which is pretty
well known now, iu the art circles OF Paris
at least, viz, that the young fellow VINO
was gaining money twenty years ago with
his pencil had his studio hard by his home,
! where the days money NearnDg work done, he
sTent his after hours CALAMITY striving to pres
pare himself for enduring work worthy of the
genius that he felt was in him. 1t is hard,
indeed, alter youth herOiCally given night and
day 10 an ideal, to the justification OF a daring
ambition, 20 have that reckoned as wholly a
gift which is the consummate blossom evolved
| bY the germ OF bent back, under many cir.
| clnPs of the seasons Respect the burden,
Madame" said Napoleon to a lady who was
| treadmg oVer-lncum bered climbers on a steep
path" It should be said to those who enter
! GUstave Dore's gallery, Respect the laborer. u
| His genius Will command respect.
/
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