Young Woman from Valence

c. 1862

Young Woman from Valence, c. 1862. Gustave Doré (French, 1832–1883). Brush and brown ink and graphite with stumping with touches of white gouache on sturdy weight wove paper; sheet: 28.7 x 22.1 cm (11 5/16 x 8 11/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Muriel Butkin 2019.64 Gustave Doré was a prolific illustrator, contributing to a wide range of books and periodicals. This drawing likely relates to depictions of Spain that he made for Le Tour du Monde, a French travel journal, following extended exploration throughout the country. Doré’s images of Spanish culture were published in installments over the course of about a decade. Here, a young woman, probably from Valencia, is seen in profile, wearing a large earring and distinctive shawl. This drawing probably relates to one of the many illustrations of young women from Valencia that Gustave Doré contributed to the travel journal Le Tour du Monde.