The Martyrdom of the Holy Innocents 1868

Gustave Doré made this drawing, "The Martyrdom of the Holy Innocents", using ink and watercolor on paper. These are fairly traditional materials, but Doré brings to them a graphic sensibility, emphasizing dramatic contrasts of light and dark. The effect is heightened by the way he builds up the image, starting with broad washes of diluted ink, and then adding detail with a finer pen. Look closely, and you can see the architecture emerging from the shadows. But the figures in the foreground are sharply rendered. The overall effect is theatrical, as though we are witnessing a terrible scene on a stage. Doré was a prolific illustrator, and his imagery often carries a moral message. Here, he vividly depicts the biblical story of Herod's slaughter of all male children in Bethlehem. The composition is carefully arranged to maximize the emotional impact, but it’s the artist’s mastery of his materials that really brings the scene to life. This reminds us that even the most seemingly straightforward techniques, like pen and ink drawing, can be pushed to expressive extremes.