The King's Farewell

about The King's Farewell

This dramatic engraving by Gustave Doré depicts a poignant farewell scene within a classical courtyard, where a fallen man begs before a departing king beneath grand arches and architectural splendor.

Created in the Romanticism tradition of 19th-century narrative art, Doré’s masterful line work blends Figurative and Surrealist elements to capture the emotional intensity of power, mercy, and human vulnerability. The interior setting with its classical arches and courtyard creates a theatrical stage for this moment of supplication and departure, characteristic of Romantic era explorations of dramatic historical and literary themes. A powerful example of Doré’s Pre-Twentieth Century engraving work that showcases his ability to render complex emotional narratives with architectural grandeur.