Description
“The Wolf Turned Shepherd” is a fable in which a disguised wolf approaches a flock of sheep while their shepherd sleeps. The wolf is ultimately discovered while impersonating the shepherd, waking the flock’s caretaker with its howl. Gustave Doré’s early sketch focuses on the wolf’s piercing gaze, highlighting his cleverness and overconfidence. Doré was among the most successful and versatile illustrators of the mid-1800s, and his illustrations for The Fables of La Fontaine—to which the final version of this drawing belongs—contributed to his fame. First published in France in 1867, the book was soon reissued in other countries.
Provenance
estate of the artist (Lugt Suppl. 681a, lower right, in red ink)
Accession Number
1956.37.a
Medium
graphite
Dimensions
Sheet: 30.1 x 22.2 cm (11 7/8 x 8 3/4 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Credit Line
Gift of Leo Weidenthal