Mars Gustave Dore (1832-1883)

The drawing presents a figure seemingly ascending from a swirling mass of clouds and starlight. The composition is dominated by a sense of upward movement and ethereal lightness. Here we see a man, clad in what appears to be a long robe, positioned centrally within the frame. His posture suggests both vulnerability and aspiration; he leans forward, his gaze directed towards an intensely bright celestial body visible on the left side of the image.
The clouds themselves are rendered with meticulous detail, their forms complex and dynamic, creating a sense of depth and turbulence. The starlight is depicted as radiating bursts, adding to the overall feeling of otherworldly grandeur. A textured background suggests vastness and distance.
Subtleties in the figure’s pose hint at an emotional state – a mixture of awe and perhaps even apprehension. His outstretched hand could be interpreted as a gesture of reaching or supplication. The contrast between his relatively small scale and the immensity of the cosmos emphasizes humanitys place within a larger, potentially incomprehensible universe.
The accompanying text, Well was I ware that I was more uplifted / By the enkindled smiling of the star, provides a narrative context suggesting an experience of transcendence or revelation. The phrase “enkindled smiling” imbues the celestial body with agency and warmth, implying a benevolent force guiding or inspiring the figure’s ascent.
Overall, the drawing evokes themes of ambition, spiritual yearning, and the human desire to connect with something beyond the earthly realm. It is an exploration of aspiration set against a backdrop of cosmic immensity, leaving room for contemplation on the nature of faith, wonder, and the search for meaning.