G[ustave] Doré

Nadar, 1856–1858

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Artist: Nadar (French, 1820–1910)
Medium: Salted paper print
Size: Image: 23.5 × 18.7 cm (9 1/4 × 7 3/8 in.)
Culture: French
Museum: J. Paul Getty Museum
Rights: CC0 — no rights reserved

Gustave Doré was a painter primarily known for his illustrations of books, including a version of the Bible. He was a good friend of Nadar, who photographed Doré many times, even on his deathbed.

Doré appears here in the flush of newly earned celebrity, a jaunty young man in checked trousers and a scarf. His sweep of hair cascades across his head as if blown by the wind; his overcoat gapes open to reveal a leg poised to carry him forward, as though he has places to go and can only sit still for a moment. Although the chair in which he sits is clearly visible, he appears to hover unanchored above it. Nadar has captured the spontaneity and energy of a young artist on the rise.

Text: J. Paul Getty Trust, CC BY 4.0.