Doré's Illustrations of the Crusades

by Gustave Doré

Long regarded as the standard history of the subject, François Michaud's History of the Crusades, published in 1877, recorded over four centuries of passionate, bloody wars that brought the countries — and cultures — of Asia and Europe into conflict with one another. To illustrate Michaud's classic study, Gustave Doré executed 100 striking plates, capturing all the savagery, nobility, and vast sweep of the centuries-long conflict.
This splendid collection includes all 100 of the Doré illustrations, including scenes of Peter the Hermit Preaching the Crusade, The War Cry of the Crusaders, The Massacre of Antioch, The Road to Jerusalem, The Crusade of Children, The Discovery of the True Cross, The Baptism of Infidels, Two Hundred Knights Attack Twenty Thousand Saracens, Richard Coeur de Lion Delivering Jaffa, The Battle of Lepanto, Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople, and many more. Masterly in their combination of power, vivid detail, and striking visual effects, the plates are perhaps the finest pictorial recreation of the immense clash of cultures and religions underlying the great historical drama of the Crusades.
Sure to delight any lover of fine art or magnificent book illustrations, Doré's Illustrations of the Crusades, with descriptive captions and a concise chronology of the principal events, will also serve as an invaluable source of striking royalty-free illustrations.

Genres: Art, History

112 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 1997

About the author

The most popular and successful French book illustrator of the mid 19th century. Doré became very widely known for his illustrations to such books as Dante's Inferno (1861), Don Quixote (1862), and the Bible (1866), and he helped to give European currency to the illustrated book of large . He was so prolific that at one time he employed more than forty blockcutters. His work is characterized by a rather naïve but highly spirited love of the grotesque and represents a commercialization of the Romantic taste for the bizarre. Drawings of London done in 1869-71 were more sober studies of the poorer quarters of the city and captured the attention of van Gogh. In the 1870s he also took up painting (doing some large and ambitions religious works) and sculpture (the monument to the dramatist and novelist Alexandre Dumas in the Place Malesherbes in Paris, erected in 1883, is his work).

Reviews

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this is probably my least favorite Dore collection I've seen so far, it is still very interesting and well done. Number 19, "Florine of Burgandy", the illustration featured on the cover, is still my favorite; though other good ones include: 9, "Celestial Phenomena"; 43, "Richard the Lion-Heart in Reprisal Massacres Captives"; and 95, "The Return."

Though his historical work is quite good, I do feel that Dore excels most with his fantastical literary illustrations. But if you like Dore's style, then you'll enjoy this collection.

[Monique]

Fascinating, moving, tantalizing: many stories to research.

[Wetdryvac Wetdryvac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Working largely with the illustrations, a most excellent experience.

[keereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

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