The Ungodly Shall Not Stand c. 1896 - 1902

James Tissot created this watercolor, entitled *The Ungodly Shall Not Stand*, in the late 19th century. This image communicates meaning through references to religious morality, typical of the era in which it was made. Tissot, a French painter who spent much of his career in Britain, was very interested in depictions of biblical scenes. This interest came during a time of great secularization and social change in Europe. The visual codes in the image, such as the muscular archer in the sky and the figures cowering below, evoke religious and social hierarchies. The image, therefore, possibly comments on the changing social structures of his time. Was Tissot lamenting the loss of faith in contemporary society? Was he making a conservative statement about the need for divine punishment? These questions could be further explored through analyses of the artist's biography and the religious and social history of the late 19th century. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.