The artwork, titled “The Cruelties of Bibars,” was created by the artist Gustave Doré. It belongs to the Romanticism art movement and is an illustration. This particular piece is part of the artwork series “Bibliothèque des Croisades.”
The artwork depicts a grim and intense scene following the massacre of Christian knights at Antioch. The composition includes an array of figures, many appearing in distress, with a heavy focus on the aftermath of the ordeal. Central to the piece is an archway framing a background structure, possibly a mosque or grand building, indicating the location’s significance. The foreground is dominated by piles of skulls and lifeless bodies, vividly illustrating the brutal and merciless nature of the depicted event. The high level of detail and use of chiaroscuro effectively convey the somber and severe tone of the historical subject matter.
