Preacher Painter

 

I wrote recently about visiting the Canadian War Museum and the National Gallery in Ottawa for art and photography exhibits about World War One. The happy bonus to this trip was another exceptional exhibit of the work of 19th century illustrator, painter, and sculptor, Gustave Dore. http://www.gallery.ca/dor%C3%A9/en/index.php

Dore struggled with being taken seriously in his own time because illustrators weren't considered true artists. And his work simply didn't fit the revolution in European painting that was Impressionism. Yet his work has been regularly copied in movies and publications for more than a century. Tell me that Puss in Boots from Shrek isn't a total rip-off!

I have been aware of Dore's creativity for years because he produced so many religious paintings, as well as an 1866 illustrated bible. The National Gallery uses the title Preacher Painter: Dore and the Revival of Religious Art for a room with these images. Dore had a prodigious output and worked quickly. His Resurrection was completed overnight, which was a couple of days faster than the original! Many of the illustrations were very dramatic, as seen below with his version of Moses with the Ten Commandments.

 

Dore also had great compassion for the poor and painted their plight in a number of works, including this injured child from a circus. Seeing the breadth and creativity of his work it is difficult to imagine he was dead at age fifty one.

 

 

 

I certainly recommend visiting this exhibition. Are you aware of Gustave Dore's legacy? Would you like to see more?