Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-27
PAUL GUsTAvE DORE.
A st. 1 ouis Artists Memories of the
Dead EDgravsr,
The Master OF the Burin Con.
trasted with HOgarth.
St. Loul, ohroniols. a.


was twenty-five years ago" said Mr..
Baker, "and | knew him we'll, but a
man changes so much in that length
Of time that it can not be said that |
know the Gustave Dore who has Just
died As | remember him he was
pushing, active man, always
at work sketching, painting or
Chiseling. La the two latter branches
he was thorough adept, but 1t is sasa
designer, a draughtsmau, an engrayer
that his name will go down to poster.
ity. think he was the finest
draughtsman ever in existence, and he
was as quick as light. I've heard him
say: Ii an artist sees man fall from
a five story window he should have a
sketch of the fall before the man
strikes the ground And he was able
to do that, had the opportunity occur
red. At that time be was generous.
whole souled fellow, unspoiled by his
success, which came to him rapidly
from the start. He was not Obliged to
study and practice for years and grow
old before Feaping tho benefit Of his
work, before he was twenty. Eve the
world knew him and appreciated him.
His pOsihumous fame cannot surpasS
that which he has enjoyed through
life. He drew from nature, and his
sketches were natural. As Charles
Dickens delineated human nature
with his pen, so Gustaye Dore has
done with his pencil. lie would
dash OH sketch Of an Englishman
or Spauiard, and the spectator could
distinguish at a glance the nationality
OF the features portrayed. Here is a
drawing of his, a Spanish peasant
girl tending turkeys, That was done
oil hand, in charcoal; yet zee there is
thought in every line Of the picture.
An engraving was taken from this and
is printed in his book, Travels
Around the World" He came back
to this country some fifteen years ago
With d'Newyille, and together they
sketohed through Mexico and the
States Of Central America. Some
OF their works are now in the
galleries Of New York City and
Washington. The book Of drawings
in this country was published in seris
ais in New York, and no doubt there
are copies in this city. But it was as an
illustrator of standard works that
Dore showed his finest qualities
DaDte's Inferno, Wandering Jew, the
rOilers of the Sea, etc., etc. No
grapder work was ever done in this
line, and very likely never will be
done again.
Count A. de Vervius, author Of
Musical Mosaic. and who ia versed In
the ane arts, was acquainted with
Gustave Dore ten years ago ] met
DOre in London, and remember him
as being rather snail, with a very
good opinion Of himself. hut he was
justified in holding such opinion, al
though he was tot exactly pleasant
man on that account. | think that he
was the greatest engraver and sketchor
that the world has ever seen. Paint
ing and sculpture have been before
the world for hundreds Of years, but
engraving is comparatively new art,
and has been placed by Gustave Dore
its proper place, He was the Michael
Angelo at engraving, and his work
was perfect. Suppose you lie down by
the side Of brook and look across
you only see the surface, with floating
leaves now stand up and look into
the water; you see the pebbles in the
bottom. Dore's sketches are as life
like as that; his picture Of that brook
will present the same features from
the same position. He shares with
Victor Hugo the world wide reputs-
tion of his hooks no man could have
illustrated those sterling stories of
Hugo, and caught the spirit of them
as Dore did. One Of his drawings for
the "Toilers o. the Sea- is 10 the
possesaiop Of Mrs. VIM StVyyesant,
Of No. 3l3l Pine street DoFe was
as high as Dante in his successful
efforts 10 elevate the mind.
All Of his works are ennobling
and illustrate the best side of life. He
will contrast well with Hpgagth, who
took the cynical ald unpleasant view,
as in his Fashionable Marriage, +"
HProgress ofa Rake, etc. think that
DoFe's Wandering Jew" is his mas.
terpieoe. In that he gives twenty. four
different plates, and although the same
figures are introduced, escA one Of
those engvaYings differs totally from
the other. Ii is as if tWenty-four
Dores had drawn twenty-four pictures.
In his "Dante's Inferno" there is
similarity, say in back. ground, or some
other immaterial point, but his "Wan.
dering Jew" is novel of originality.
Dore engraved on wood, which re.
quires much more aT6stic skill than
does steel, the latter being more me.
chanical, although it produces q
clearer and finer impression. Dore
has been hard at work all hi.
life, as he b,gan to draw when he was
only twelve years of age aud | think
wa NVpiSHe hiuoN HutupVl u6ally uIIO
thousand.
Paul Gustave Dore, who died yes
terday, was born on the 10Th Of Janu.
ary, 1888, aud had Just passed hi
flttieth birthday. His death wa
caused By the effects of cold con
traotea on Friday while he was re
turning home from soiree. ii
illustrated the works Of Dante, Cole
ridge, Rabelais, Balzac, Montagu,
Tanie, Chateaubriand, Milton, Tenny
son, Victor Hugo, Dickens aud Others
He would be more than mortal if a
OF his thousands of designs wer
, equally good, but it may be truthful
said that his superior has never live,