Job and His Friends
Illustrated print (mechanical reproduction) on paper cardstock • Gustave Doré (original illustrator); Héliodore Pisan (engraver)
Style & Movement
French Romanticism / Academic Realism
Medium & Technique
Original medium: Wood engraving; Technique: Cross-hatching and fine line engraving reproduced through offset lithography or digital printing
Creation Period
Original illustration: c. 1866; Present card: Late 20th to 21st century
Dimensions & Format
Small format (approx. 4 x 6 inches), portrait orientation, vignetted within a larger graphic design layout
Subject Description
The biblical figure Job is depicted in a state of suffering, seated on a dung heap, gesturing toward the heavens. He is surrounded by his three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) who observe him in silence and grief. The composition uses dramatic lighting and muscular anatomy to emphasize human pathos and divine struggle.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent (as a modern printed item); clean edges, no visible fading or structural damage
Estimated Market Value
$1 - $5 (nominal value as a mass-produced printed material)
Auction Estimate
N/A (not an auctionable fine art lot)
Provenance History
Likely a religious tract, book cover, or study guide material produced for mass distribution in a contemporary ecclesiastical or educational context
Art Historical Significance
Gustave Doré's illustrations for the La Grande Bible de Tours (1866) are considered among the most influential biblical iconographies of the 19th century, profoundly shaping the visual imagination of Western religious art.
Notable Features
Features modern typography ('JOB') and theological text below the image; the vignette style indicates it is a cropped selection from Doré's larger original composition.
Condition Issues
None; surface appears pristine with intentional vignetted blurring at the edges of the circular frame
Conservation Recommendations
Keep in a dry environment shielded from direct UV exposure to prevent fading of the ink and yellowing of the cardstock