The Doré Bible Gallery, Volume 6 — A Reader’s Guide

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In Category - Theology

Authors: Doré, Gustave, 1832-1883 [Illustrator] Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2004 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Bible -- Illustrations Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 6,149

Reading time 27 min

Text sections 1

Before opening The Doré Bible Gallery, Volume 6 — A Reader’s Guide, the edition data offers a quick orientation: 6,149 words, 27 min estimated reading time, and 1 detected text section.

The text analysis averages about 23.8 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Bible -- Illustrations,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #8706

This volume presents Gustave Doré's engravings for biblical scenes, with each plate prefaced by a narrative analysis. The excerpts show a focus on Gospel miracles and teachings, emphasizing the interplay between text and image.

Editorial Edition Score 4.4/5

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Chapters / structure15 pts
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Read the Text

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.--Matthew ii, 16-18.

JESUS QUESTIONING THE DOCTORS.

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.

And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother, knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that, ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my father's business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. Luke ii, 41-52.

JESUS HEALING THE SICK.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy;--and he healed them.--Matthew iv, 23--24.

And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth and taught them.

And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.--Matthew iv, 25; v, 1-2, 28-29, viii, I.

CHRIST STILLING THE TEMPEST.

And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?--Matthew viii, 23-27.

THE DUMB MAN POSSESSED.

As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.--Matthew ix, 32-34

CHRIST IN THE SYNAGOGUE.

And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house.

And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.--Matthew xiii, 53-58

THE DISCIPLES PLUCKING CORN ON THE SABBATH.

Continue Reading →

Gustave Doré's Bible illustrations, as presented in this volume, pair each engraving with a page of letter-press that offers a brief analysis of the design. The excerpts from the Gospel of Matthew and Mark reveal a pattern: the editor selects scenes of public astonishment—the stilling of the storm, the healing of a dumb man, and the synagogue teaching—where crowds marvel at Jesus's authority. The accompanying text quotes the biblical passage directly, then presumably describes how Doré visualized the moment. This structure invites readers to move between word and image, noting how the artist interprets the narrative.

The Editor's Framing of Doré's Genius

The volume opens with a biographical sketch that positions Doré as "the most original and variously gifted designer the world has ever known." The editor emphasizes his early success and his role in elevating illustrative art to new dignity. This framing is not neutral; it primes the reader to look for innovation and grandeur in the plates. The sketch also notes that the collection was chosen with "special reference to the known taste of the American people," suggesting a deliberate selection of familiar, dramatic episodes. Readers should consider how this editorial lens might shape their encounter with the images—are the chosen scenes indeed the most iconic, and does Doré's style match the hyperbolic praise?

The Miracle Scenes: A Pattern of Wonder

The excerpts from Matthew and Mark cluster around moments of collective amazement. In the stilling of the storm, the disciples ask, "What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?" In the healing of the dumb man, the multitudes marvel, saying "It was never so seen in Israel." The synagogue scene ends with the townspeople's offense at Jesus's humble origins. Each passage highlights a crowd's reaction—wonder, astonishment, or skepticism. Doré's task, then, is to capture not just the action but the emotional response of the onlookers. The reader can examine how the artist uses composition, gesture, and light to convey this collective awe.

The Role of the Letter-Press Pages

Each plate is prefaced by a page of letter-press that provides "a brief analysis of the design." The excerpts do not include these analyses, but the editorial preface states that the work was under the scrutiny of "artists and scholars" to ensure accuracy. This suggests that the text pages are meant to guide interpretation, perhaps pointing out symbolic details or compositional choices. For the modern reader, these pages offer a contemporary (19th-century) perspective on Doré's work. They may also serve as a bridge between the biblical text and the visual representation, helping the viewer see what the editor considered noteworthy.

Reading the Plates as a Sequence

The volume collects engravings from across the Bible, but the excerpts focus on New Testament miracles and teachings. This concentration may reflect the editor's aim to present "subjects of general interest." As you turn the pages, observe how Doré handles repeated themes—storms, crowds, healing gestures. Does he vary the composition to avoid monotony? The preface claims that Doré "has opened new and shining paths" in illustration; the reader can test this claim by comparing the treatment of similar subjects. Also note the absence of Old Testament scenes in the excerpts; the full volume likely includes a broader range, but the sample suggests a preference for narrative drama over prophetic or legal material.

This volume is best approached as a visual companion to the Bible, where the engravings are meant to be studied alongside the scriptural text. The editorial apparatus—the biographical sketch, the letter-press analyses—provides a historical lens, but the primary experience is the interplay between Doré's imagery and the biblical narrative. Readers may find it rewarding to first read the biblical passage, then examine the plate, and finally consult the analysis to see what details the editor highlights. This method reveals both Doré's artistry and the 19th-century expectations of biblical illustration.

There’s a particular hush in Doré’s Gospel engravings, a stillness that makes the miracles feel less like spectacle and more like quiet testimony. I found myself thinking of that same patient witness while rereading The Testimony of the Bible Concerning the Assumptions of Destructive Criticism — Context and Discussion, as if both were asking me to simply look, and wait, rather than hurry toward an answer. Old friends, both of them.