Gustav Dore (1832 – 1883) was one of the pre-eminent illustrators of the Victorian age. Born in Paris, and working mainly through wooden engraved prints he produced illustrations for everyone from Byron to Edgar Allen Poe. The beautiful prints below depict scene’s in Milton’s Paradise Lost. They may have been from the 50 plates he produced for an 1866 edition of Paradise Lost, or later re-publishings. I picked these up for a song Spitafield’s Market. There were more on sale, and I kick myself to this day for not buying more of them…
Source: Gustav Dore’s Illustrations for John Milton’s Paradise Lost (1866, Cassell & Co)
First Night Design 
These are magnificent. I could look at them for hours, and how fortunate that you spied them at Spitafield’s and for a song at that. Now that’s enough to make anyone smile:) Have a beautiful day. Janet. xx
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Alas, ’twas not me but the author of the Spitalfields blog! xx
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OK – just got it. Sometimes things take a little longer for me:) What a find. Have a beautiful day and of course no matter what keep smiling….Janet. xx
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These are indeed amazing works. Until now I only knew of Dores scenes of London backstreets. Powerful images all round.
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Very powerful.
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When I was young my dad let me have temporary custody of his copy of Don Quixote. I loved the illustrations by Gustav Dore and the elaborate book-binding. I even made a rubbing of the covers that is probably still in my art folders somewhere. If I had money I’d probably collect old books like that. 🙂
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You and me both!
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Beautiful indeed. 🙂
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Amazing work Sarah! The value work and variety of textures are areas of his work that I could study all day long.
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Absolutely!
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My kind of art. My kind of period.
xxx Huge Hugs Sarah xxx
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Tickled to hear that, David. Hugs! xx
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Amazingly detailed Victorian Gothic illustrations indeed. A very well-spotted re-blog, Sarah!
Best wishes, Pete. x
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Thanks, my friend!
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Reblogged this on ' Ace World History '.
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There’s just so much to look at. Love it. 😀
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I know!
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Are wooden/engraved prints done much anymore? I remember, in grade school, making “stamps” by carving into potatoes and that was quite a chore. I can’t imagine the work that would go into one of these let alone 50!!
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I believe so but it must be hard to make a living when the work is detailed and time-consuming. Gosh, how I remember potato carving!
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As a kid, I was Bitterly Disappointed in potato carving. I thought I would create fabulous, world-renowned designs…but the only feedback I ever received was, “What’s that supposed to be?”
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Snap!
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