Eliezer and Rebekah 

Gustave Dore's "Eliezer and Rebekah," is marked by strong contrasts in texture and tone. Dore renders the biblical narrative with detailed crosshatching, creating a palpable sense of depth and drama. Look at the interplay between light and shadow. The stark blacks define form, while the white spaces allow for a perception of divine light illuminating Rebekah. The composition is structured around a well, positioning Rebekah and Eliezer in a spatial dialogue. This creates a visual hierarchy where the viewer's eye is drawn to the moment of encounter. Consider Dore's technical virtuosity and narrative ambition. The use of a semiotic system of signs, evident in the characters' gestures and the surrounding landscape, invites interpretation. This is an example of how Dore was trying to challenge fixed meanings and engage with new ways of thinking about biblical narrative. Notice the formal quality of contrast between the figures and the background, contributing to the work's aesthetic power and the larger cultural discourse around faith and representation.