Gustave Doré’s early illustrations were in the tradition of the illustrated romantic book, but he soon turned to larger-scale works, more suited to his new dark and tormented style.
From 1861 he undertook a series of luxurious, large format editions of great works of literature, including those of Rabelais.
Doré made extensive use of the technique of making a wash drawing directly onto the wood, leaving it to his engravers — Best, Gusman, Pannamaker, Pisan and others — to translate the variations of shading by means of often very complex arrangements of dots and cross hatching.