What This Is
This volume presents a complete collection of engravings by Gustave Doré, designed to bring Biblical narratives to a wider audience. Each plate is accompanied by descriptive text that frames the action, such as Hagar weeping in the wilderness of Beer-sheba or Joshua commanding the sun to stand still. The work moves chronologically through the Hebrew prophets and the life of Jesus, concluding with the apocalyptic visions of Revelation. It translates monumental religious history into a format accessible beyond the wealthy circles that owned the original, expensive editions.
Key figures
- Gustave Doré
The artist responsible for the collection's engravings.
- Hagar
A mother cast into the wilderness who hears God's voice.
- Joshua
A leader who commands the sun to stay its course.
- Saul
A king who dies by his own sword after defeat.
- Amos
A herdsman who became a prophet to denounce idolatry.
What it's really about
- Divine Intervention
- Direct communication between the deity and figures like Hagar.
- Judgment
- The violent downfalls of figures like Saul and Jezebel.
Why it's memorable
- The sun standing still in the heavens for a whole day during the war against Gibeon.
- The pale horse of Death followed by Hell appearing at the opening of the fourth seal.
What it concludes
The work concludes with the opening of the fourth seal, where Death on a pale horse is granted power over a fourth of the earth.
For your book club
- How the use of dramatic light and scale affects the viewer's interpretation of ancient texts.
- The transition from the pastoral parables of Jesus to the stark imagery of the Apocalypse.