Heresiarchs 

Gustave Doré made this haunting image, ‘Heresiarchs,’ using the process of wood engraving, a technique requiring the skilled labor of specialist craftsmen. Look closely, and you’ll see how the linear texture of the engraving defines the scene. The stark contrast between light and shadow captures the horror of the sixth circle of hell from Dante's Inferno, where heretics are eternally entombed in burning graves. Doré did not physically carve the block himself; his designs were translated by teams of professional engravers. This division of labor was crucial to the industrialization of image production in the 19th century, allowing for mass distribution of images in books and periodicals. The image’s dark vision reflects anxieties about faith and authority, visualized through a labor-intensive medium adapted to mass production. Considering ‘Heresiarchs’ through the lens of its making allows us to appreciate not only Doré’s artistic vision, but also the broader social and economic context in which it was produced. The images challenge us to consider the value and meaning of both fine art and craft.