Thais 

Curator: Look at this engraving, "Thais." Though undated, we know it’s by Gustave Doré, likely inspired by the novel of the same name by Anatole France. The scene unfolds with a dramatic, almost theatrical intensity. Editor: Oh, wow, that's immediately arresting. I mean, the sheer contrast – that harsh black and white – it creates such a stark, almost brutal feeling. It reminds me of old biblical illustrations, yet feels very modern in its graphic impact. The rocky setting makes it a place filled with pain. Curator: Doré was known for his skill in wood engraving, and you can see the mastery here. Look at how he uses light and shadow to create depth and texture. The landscape almost becomes another character, looming over the figures. I mean, the novel does tell the story of a monk, Athanael, who attempts to convert Thais, a courtesan, to Christianity, only to fall in love with her in the process, so everything here is very telling of these moments of drama! Editor: Absolutely, the way that jagged rock face towers over them really amps up that sense of oppressive morality, that weight of religious conviction. Is that supposed to be Thais being stripped, then? Curator: Yes. In some ways the moment being illustrated here is really about the conflict between the spiritual and the sensual, and the hypocrisy inherent in trying to separate them. Doré doesn’t shy away from depicting the body, the naked form. She lies among the repentant ones, but in her, one senses a sense of defiance perhaps. Editor: I do get that defiance. Maybe its my projecting into it? You almost feel for her among this craggy darkness and these rather pitiful souls around her. You can feel her loneliness even in the setting she lies in...It's thought-provoking and more nuanced. It is just like love to morality. Curator: Absolutely, and I think that tension makes it a compelling work of art, prompting conversations about those very uncomfortable hypocrisies to our modern life even now. Doré manages to make us question the narratives that society presents to us, that he likely was in question of in his time also. Editor: Yes, that’s really stayed with me; the dark landscape and this woman defiant in it make me question society then, but certainly make me think today. Curator: Indeed, a striking glimpse of how even black and white art pieces are still more relevant now.