The artwork, titled “Glorious Death of Jacques de Maille Marshal of the Temple,” was created by the artist Gustave Doré in 1877. This lithographic piece is part of the Romanticism art movement and belongs to the genre of illustration. It is included in the series “Bibliotheque des Croisades” and is held in a private collection.
The artwork depicts a dramatic scene set against the backdrop of a rugged landscape with a distant fortress under a tumultuous sky. In the center, Jacques de Maille, adorned in knightly armor, stands valiantly on horseback amidst fallen soldiers, embodying courage and defiance. The composition is dense with figures, illustrating a chaotic battlefield where numerous bodies and horses lie strewn across the ground. The vertical lines of spears and the contours of the terrain direct the viewer’s gaze towards the central figure, emphasizing his heroic demise. The stylistic approach, characterized by intricate detailing and dynamic contrasts of light and shadow, vividly conveys the Romanticism ethos of sublime struggle and grandeur.
