Ascension of Christ 

Dosso Dossi painted ‘Ascension of Christ’ sometime in the early 16th century. The painting presents an idealized vision of religious faith and patriarchal power. Here, Christ ascends to heaven, surrounded by cherubic figures, while below, his male disciples gaze upwards in awe. The composition reinforces a hierarchical structure: divine power is embodied by a male figure and is witnessed and legitimized by other men. The absence of women from this pivotal moment speaks volumes about the gendered dynamics of religious authority in the Renaissance period. The disciples, with their varied expressions, invite viewers to participate in this moment of collective witnessing, asking them to consider their own relationship to faith, power, and representation. The idealized bodies and dramatic upward gaze may evoke feelings of reverence, but they also reflect historical exclusions and social norms. The painting functions as a powerful artifact of its time, one that continues to shape our understanding of faith and its visual representations.