The Baptism Of Jesus 

Gustave Doré created this illustration of "The Baptism of Jesus" during a time of significant religious and social change in 19th-century France. He was working within a tradition of religious art, yet his detailed, dramatic style also reflected the growing interest in realism and human emotion. Consider how Doré’s representation of Jesus departs from earlier depictions. Instead of a regal figure, Jesus is shown as a man, vulnerable and immersed in water, but also bathed in light from above. John the Baptist is the one with agency. The composition prompts questions about the nature of divinity, and the ways in which individuals encounter the sacred. Doré’s work invites us to consider how religious narratives are visualized and what these images communicate about power, faith, and the human condition. He encourages an emotional and personal engagement with these stories, and in doing so, touches upon broader themes of identity, belief, and transformation.