Te Deum After Victory 

"Te Deum After Victory" was created by Gustave Doré, a French artist working in the 19th century, and captures a scene rife with the tensions of religious conflict and colonial expansion. Doré was working in a time that saw the height of French colonial ambitions, and also a rising interest in historical subjects, particularly those involving religious or nationalistic fervor. Here we see the intersection of religious expression and the brutal realities of war. The victorious army leaders, presumably Christian, are depicted adopting a mosque as their own church, singing praises to God amidst the fallen bodies of those they have defeated. The image invites reflection on how victory is often constructed upon the erasure and subjugation of others. It shows the deeply human tendency to sanctify violence through religious and nationalistic narratives, and leaves us pondering how these historical representations continue to shape our understanding of identity, power, and conflict today.