|
| 
|
|
RARE 1870 FOLIO EDITION WOOD ENGRAVING
|
ANTIQUE PRINT
|
| PARADISO; is the poem
of Dante's praise for God, as the very first word, Glory, indicates. It
give praise for how God has saved Dante from the torments of Hell and
praise for how God has provided the means of removal of sin, and, above
all, praise for the eternal wonder of Heaven promised to all who come
to God, regardless of station. While there are different degrees of reward
in heaven (the light shining more in some places, in other places less)
the light of God still shines abundantly for all. This emphasis on light
probably reflects the influence of the writings which go under the name
of St. Dionysios the Areopagite, who was a Christian theologian of late
antiquity quite influenced by Neo-Platonism. This emphasis on the wonder
of light as symbolic of the truth of God is seen in the construction of
Gothic cathedrals of the 11-13th century, with their wonderful stained
glass windows. Dante admits here that his poetry is straining at the limits
of what poetry can do, to try to express the inexpressible, and for many
(especially modern non-Catholics) this is the least accessible part of
the trilogy. In some ways too it is the most personal for Dante, as he
locates important people from his past (like his great, great grandfather),
and spends so much time with Beatrice. Further, since for Dante Catholic
theology expressed the deepest truths of God, it is here that Dante gives
us a far heavier concentration of Christian doctrine. It can be off-putting,
but, remember, for Dante, this truth is glorious, for he really believes
that God has given us this precise knowledge that we can be confident
in, and use to gain our salvation. To appreciate Dante we must put aside
the fact that our age is far, far less trusting of such religious knowledge.
Thus this truth is not only the Church's truth, it has become Dante's
own truth, around which he has constructed his own spiritual life. In
many ways Paradise is the mirror image of Hell. Both are eternal states,
whereas Purgatory is a temporary condition, a period of transition. In
both place we have strong personalities. In Hell, it is the strong personalities
and their qualities that, turned toward bad purposes, damned them. In
Paradise these same qualities, turned to good purposes, have made various
people into saints. |
|
DESCRIPTION:
A Beautiful 1870 Wood Engraving after the painting of Gustave Doré.
Paul Gustave Dore (1832-1883), famous French illustrator, engraver,
painter, and sculptor. He is best known for his highly imaginative and
dramatic illustrations. At first he did his own engraving on wood, but
as his success grew, his later work was done in collaboration with numerous
engravers. His lively illustrations for some 120 books, including Paradise
Lost, the Divine Comedy (1861), Don Quixote (1862), the Bible (1866),
Balzac's Droll Tales, the works of Rabelais, the Fables of La Fontaine,
and other classics, are still admired. He particularly excelled in weird,
fantastic scenes. Less popular today are his works in painting and sculpture.
This quality engraving originates
from an 1870 art publication with a collection of plates, giving some
idea of the variety as well as the power of Doré's genius.
|
| PUBLISHED DATE |
1870 LONDON, PARIS, NEW YORK |
| PUBLISHER |
CASSELL PETTER & GALPIN |
| ARTIST |
GUSTAVE DORE |
| ENGRAVERS |
PANNEMAKER |
| PAGE SIZE: approx |
14 1/4 INCHES x 10 1/4 INCHES |
| IMAGE SIZE: approx |
9 3/4 X 8 INCHES |
| CONDITION |
The
image is in Excellent Condition, clear and sharp with beautiful depth
and detail. Blank on Reverse side. On heavy stock. Includes the Descriptive
Tissue.This beautiful rare item would look great matted and framed. An
art supply store can provide you with a selection of frames for old art
treasures. |
IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE PURCHASES,
SHIPPING CAN BE COMBINED.
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
Credit Card payments by PayPal. Money
Orders or Cash. Checks accepted only from Canada or USA Buyers (may need time
to clear).
NOTE THE FOLLOWING
BEFORE YOU PURCHASE:
-
This is a GENUINE
ANTIQUE PRINT. It is NOT a modern reproduction, ie. a laser scan, photocopy
etc.
-
This print was
published on the date mentioned, or circa of the date mentioned at the top
of the page. The term "print" is referred to an image on a piece
of paper. The print I have for sale, like many antique prints, originate
from an antique book publication. The publication may not always be known.
If you have any questions, emails are welcome.
|
