In The Valley of Tears (Doré), how is the Subject discussed?
The subject of the painting is inspired by a verse in the Gospel of Saint Matthew (11:28) “ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” It depicts those experiencing intense suffering turning towards the distant figure of Christ, who is carrying his cross and indicating to them to follow him. The light radiating from the Christ figure reveals a barren, steeply sloping mountain landscape through which presses a mixed crowd of people, princes and paupers, children and old people. Their clothes evoke the Middle East, the birthplace of Christianity. Unusually for a religious picture, Christ is  in the background, with the foreground emphasizing the weeping crowds of the destitute. This is an example of the humanism that also characterised many of his secular works.
Gospel of Saint Matthew