The Blasphemers--Capaneus 

Editor: So, this engraving is "The Blasphemers--Capaneus" by Gustave Doré. It looks like an illustration, perhaps for a book. It feels overwhelmingly bleak. All these figures are lying on the ground in this barren landscape being rained on by… fire? What's going on here? Curator: Notice how Doré uses the figures as symbols of defiance and despair against the seemingly relentless onslaught of divine judgment. What feelings does the visual motif of falling fire evoke for you? Editor: Definitely a sense of helplessness. I mean, there are *so* many figures sprawled out – almost like a sea of bodies. Are they all supposed to be blasphemers, and is that figure standing with another the Roman king, Capaneus? Curator: Precisely! He was known for his hubris against Zeus. Doré positions him standing defiantly amidst the fiery rain, a powerful emblem of human resistance even in the face of overwhelming punishment. Doré emphasizes the sheer quantity of the damned to highlight the all-encompassing nature of divine retribution, a recurrent theme in much religious iconography. It shows the magnitude of their shared sin and fate, and that no one can escape. What do the figures' postures suggest to you? Editor: It does seem hopeless. A lot of them are covering their faces or curled into fetal positions. So this is beyond just historical, and even becomes a metaphor for human hubris, right? Curator: Exactly! Doré employs these figures not merely as representations of historical or literary figures but as embodiments of broader philosophical ideas about human arrogance, divine justice, and the struggle against fate. The work gains considerable meaning beyond the scope of its direct subject matter. The eternal consequences for ‘blasphemy’ is made stark, quite frightening when viewed with consideration. Editor: Wow, I would not have picked up on the theme of defiance. I only saw despair at first, but now the composition feels so much more active and conflicted! Curator: This contrast and layers of emotional symbolisim is precisely what Doré achieves.