The Holy Bible
King James Version
Illustrated by Gustave Doré
The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally written in Hebrew (with some parts in Aramaic) and Koine Greek. The texts include instructions, stories, poetry, prophecies, and other genres. Believers generally consider it to be a product of divine inspiration, but the way they understand what that means and interpret the text varies.
When the King James translation of the Bible was first published in 1611, it was the first time that many people throughout the English-speaking world were able to read the Old and New Testaments in their native tongue. It proved so wildly popular, in fact, that it was the only book that many families owned. The majestic scope and poetry of the King James translation's language made an incomparable impact on Western religion, culture, and literature that still resonates today.
Barnes & Noble Collectible Classics: Leatherbound Edition
This edition of The Holy Bible features over 200 beautiful, rarely collected full-page illustrations by Gustave Doré.
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Table of Contents (abridged)
List of Illustrations
Introduction
About the Artist
THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
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Collector’s Hardcover Edition
1343 pages. Bonded-leather binding, metallic foiling and embossing to front, back, and spine. Gilt edging, printed endpapers, ribbon bookmark.
ISBN: 978-1-4351-6793-3
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About the Artist
The late Paul Gustave Louis Christophe Doré (1832 – 1883) was a French printmaker, illustrator, painter, and sculptor. Best known for his prolific output of wood-engravings illustrating classic literature, his most impactful works were those he created for The Bible and Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy. The illustrations were immensely successful and have been reproduced countless times worldwide, influencing the visual arts and popular culture in ways difficult to measure.
Doré's work was adored by many writers and poets, who felt he "brought their wildest dreams and fantasies to life". Théophile Gautier stated "Nobody better than this artist can give a mysterious and deep vitality to chimeras, dreams, nightmares, intangible shapes bathed in light and shade, weirdly caricatured silhouettes and all the monsters of fantasy." H.P. Lovecraft drew inspiration from Doré's Rime of the Ancient Mariner illustrations in his formative years.
