The Mountain's Foot 

Gustave Doré created this engraving titled "The Mountain's Foot" illustrating Dante’s *Purgatorio*, a landscape dominated by a colossal mountain and shrouded figures. Notice the mountain, a symbol stretching back to ancient mythologies, often representing the threshold between the earthly and the divine. Here, it signifies the arduous path of purification and spiritual ascent. In the *Purgatorio*, souls gather, draped in robes, embodying collective memory and shared grief. Echoes of these robed figures resonate through art history, from ancient Greek processions to medieval mourning rituals. The motif transcends mere representation, tapping into our deep-seated emotions surrounding loss and hope. Consider the way Doré captures this moment. He evokes a powerful psychological space, where viewers are confronted with the stark reality of human existence. The path forward is unknown, yet beckons towards something transcendent. Through this fusion of symbolic imagery and emotional intensity, the Mountain of Purgatory continues to speak to us across time.