Central panel of a triptych (study for a window at St. Paul's Church, Birmingham) 

Benjamin West conceived this oil on canvas as a study for stained glass at St. Paul's Church, Birmingham. The figures are arranged to convey the moment of conversion. The composition is cleaved into two zones. Above, a figure wreathed in light gestures downward. Below, soldiers recoil and collapse, overwhelmed by divine intervention. Consider the figure pointing skyward. We see this motif echo throughout art history, often signaling divine authority or enlightenment. Think of Plato pointing upwards in Raphael's "School of Athens", or the many depictions of John the Baptist. It is a gesture that transcends religious contexts, embodying our inherent human desire for transcendence. This symbolic language taps into a powerful collective memory. The motif of divine light, combined with gestures of awe and submission, stir deep-seated emotions and speak to the complex interplay between the earthly and the divine. It is this cycle of influence that gives art its enduring vitality.