Gustave Doré, the famous illustrator left his mark on many filmmakers. Walt Disney also drew inspiration from it, notably for Snow White.

Dante’s Hell

Gustave Doré was 23 when he started illustrating Dante’s Hell. Among the 75 engravings he made to illustrate the infernal encounters of Dante and Virgil, we find these images of a dark, gloomy forest, sheltering souls and Harpies. Sets that do not leave indifferent many filmmakers, including Walt Disney.

Fascinated by Doré’s work

From his trip to Europe in 1935, Mickey’s father brought back many illustrated books. Doré’s anthropomorphism and sense of decor left a deep mark on him. He would later use it as a model to represent the twisted and terrifying trees of Snow White’s nightmare forest.