The artwork titled “He sprang upon the old woman and ate her up” is an illustration by the artist Gustave Doré, belonging to the Romanticism art movement. This piece is part of the “Tales and Stories of the Past with Morals” series, also known as “Mother Goose Tales”.
The artwork depicts a tense and foreboding scene set in a bedroom. An old woman lies in bed, her face etched with fear and despair, as a wolf, standing on its hind legs, looms over her. The intricate detail in Doré’s work is evident in the textures of the wolf’s fur and the old woman’s bedclothes. The illustration is rendered in a monochromatic palette, emphasizing the dramatism and horror of the moment. The wolf’s menacing posture and the woman’s terrified expression capture the essence of the old tales, invoking a deep emotional response from the viewer.
