The Guards Outside the Prison, detail from 'The Liberation of St Peter' in the Stanza d'Eliodoro 1514

This detail, painted by Raphael in the early 16th century, depicts the guards outside the prison in 'The Liberation of Saint Peter'. The soldiers, caught in a moment of divine intervention, react with shock and confusion. Consider the motif of sudden blindness or obscured vision here; one guard raises his hand to shield his eyes. This gesture echoes throughout art history. Think of blinded figures in classical tragedies, or even the metaphorical blindness to truth found in Renaissance allegories. Here, the dazzling light signifies the power of the divine disrupting earthly order. The terror of the guards reminds us that encounters with the divine are rarely gentle; they often involve a violent clash with our established perceptions, a psychological disturbance. This potent image reminds us of the enduring power of symbols to convey deep-seated fears and awe.