Crucifixion 

Nikolai Ge painted this 'Crucifixion' using oils to depict a harrowing biblical scene. The cross, a brutal instrument of torture, dominates the composition, laden with symbolic weight. Throughout history, the cross has appeared as a potent symbol, its form echoing through ancient pagan symbols and finding resonance in various cultural contexts. In Ge's rendering, we see not merely a depiction of Christ's crucifixion, but an echo of humanity's collective suffering. The gaunt figures evoke a primal, almost animalistic anguish. This echoes the 'pathos formula,' a visual language of suffering seen in Laocoön and other classical works. Through Ge’s intense portrayal, the viewer is not merely witnessing an event but is viscerally drawn into the emotional vortex of human suffering, bridging the gap between historical narrative and subconscious empathy.