PONCE, PR.- A small, but interesting selection of works from French artist and engraver Gustave Dore (1832-1883) is being exhibited in Fervor and Fantasy: the Passion of Christ according to Gustave at the Museo de Arte de Ponce. The exceptional show is made up of five great works that illustrate the creativity and aesthetic interest of the artist as he represents scenes from Jesus’ life.

The story of the Passion and death of Christ has served as inspiration to a great quantity of artists throughout the centuries. Dore stands out among the artists, according to curator Pablo Perez d’Ors, because of the darkness he conjures when he represents these scenes in one of the biggest stories ever told. The exhibition invites the public to discover and understand how Dore created images totally original from the Gospel texts.

This creative freedom came from, in part, the fact that his economic motor did not come from religious institutions, but from private clients, and the enormous commercial success of the artist is attributed to his ability to appeal to the aesthetic and religious sensibility of his contemporaries. “By presenting the religious works of Gustave Dore in context, fervor and fantasy not only lets us understand the artist, but it also helps us understand this epoch of profound changes”, explained Perez d’Ors.

Contrary to other exhibitions that group together great quantities of works in a same space, this exhibition is composed of three enormous canvases, two engravings and one illustrated Bible. “We don’t want the public to feel intimidated when they enter the Museum. The exhibition is quite accessible and, since there are few works, one can visit them in the space of twenty minutes, observing these pieces with care”, added the curator. In order to make this experience complete, an ambiance inspired in the gothic and dark aesthetic of Dore has been created.

The exhibition has been complimented with other works by Dore, recently installed in the first level of the Museum, next to an important collection of paintings from the XIX century.