“The Army of the Second Crusade Find the Remains of the Soldiers of the First Crusade,” created by Gustave Doré in 1877, is a masterful lithographic piece rooted in the Romanticism movement. The artwork serves as an illustration for the “Bibliotheque des Croisades” series and is currently held in a private collection. This intense scene reflects the somber discovery by the Second Crusaders of the skeletal remains of their predecessors.
The artwork depicts a rugged, mountainous terrain where the solemn procession of the Second Crusaders stumbles upon the stark remains of the First Crusaders. In the foreground, a plethora of bones and decayed equipment is laid bare on the ground, highlighting the harrowing aftermath of the prior campaign. Middle-ground figures on horseback and on foot observe the scene with a mix of sorrow and contemplation, illustrating the heavy emotional weight of the discovery. Far in the background, the mounted Crusaders continue their journey through a narrow mountain pass. Gustave Doré employs a highly detailed, intricate style characteristic of Romanticism, emphasized through dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, to elicit a profound sense of tragedy and reflection on the costs of the Crusades.
