Division of the Bread 1685 - 1722

Claude Gillot created this image, Division of the Bread, in the 18th century using etching. Gillot was working in a France where the echoes of the religious wars still reverberated through society. Here, the artist depicts the miracle of the Eucharist through a scene of two men receiving what looks like communion from a radiant, floating figure, presumably Christ. We are drawn to wonder about the identities of the men in this image. Are they disciples, ordinary men, or perhaps portraits of specific people from Gillot's time? The artist creates a sense of wonder by using the technique of etching to emphasize the ethereal quality of the central figure and the reactions of awe on the faces of the men below. The image invites us to consider the power of belief and the ways in which religious narratives shape our understanding of the world and our place within it. It encourages a personal and emotional connection to the sacred.