The Ascension
1879
Jesus floats upward in a sweeping emerald robe, arms wide open as if embracing the heavens, while a chaotic, swirling crowd of angels gazes up in awe. Gustave Doré, the 19th-century illustration superstar who basically invented modern graphic novel aesthetics, created this dramatic scene late in his life. He was desperate to be taken seriously as a 'fine artist' rather than just a book illustrator, pouring his soul into these massive, theatrical religious canvases. Though critics at the time were a bit snobby about his popular roots, today we can appreciate the sheer cinematic drama and emotional intensity he brought to the scene.
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