The Transfiguration 

Virgil Solis created this version of The Transfiguration with etching on paper in the mid-16th century. Immediately, the dynamic composition draws your eye upwards. From the dense cluster of figures at the base, to the singular figure, Christ, floating above. The arrangement is far from naturalistic. Solis uses linear strokes to construct form and texture. The cloudscape is not merely a backdrop but an active participant, its swirling lines echoing the emotional turbulence of the scene. Lines and shapes create a visual language that engages with contemporary theological interpretations. What we see here isn't just a depiction, but an interpretation. A moment of spiritual transcendence rendered through the formal qualities of line and composition. Solis's work prompts us to consider how the formal elements of art can themselves be carriers of complex cultural meanings.