Abraham, God and Two Angels 1852

Gustave Doré, in the 19th century, rendered “Abraham, God and Two Angels,” an illustration steeped in biblical narrative. Doré, working in a time of shifting religious and scientific thought, uses his dramatic, high contrast style to emphasize the divine encounter. The image depicts Abraham meeting three figures, traditionally interpreted as God and two angels, outside his tent. Doré’s decision to portray these divine visitors with youthful, almost androgynous features invites reflection on the representation of divinity and its relationship to gender. Abraham, depicted kneeling, embodies humility and reverence. His posture underscores the power dynamics inherent in this encounter. Doré’s illustrations brought biblical stories to a wider audience, shaping popular imagination. But, in this moment, what does it mean to visualize the divine? How might our own identities and experiences shape our reception of this scene of encounter and revelation?