As the lead in to election season heats up, I have been indicating the use of Photoshop to present Trump as a hero (eg a fireman. a soldier, etc). What’s next? In biblical studies/classics there is something called haggadic midrash/mimesis such as when Matthew presents Jesus as imitating Moses – Jesus is the new and greater Moses. Some on the right are now doing this with Trump propaganda art, and so we have “Moses Trump” leading his people out of slavery and into the promised land:

Interestingly, this kind of political propaganda is rooted in American history and so in the Capitol rotunda we have the Apotheosis (IE becoming God) of Washington:

Above is The Apotheosis of Washington, as seen looking up from the Capitol rotunda, fresco painted by Greek-Italian artist Constantino Brumidi in 1865 and visible through the oculus of the dome in the rotunda of the United States Capitol Building.

Above detail showing George Washington.

An interesting question is why this imagery is being taken seriously about Trump but would be seen as silly if Biden was the theme? Perhaps some celebrity worship is going on? Secular people are often baffled by the ceaseless worship of God that goes on in church, but we are aware of the same phenomenon in our own midst when we worship rock bands and and movie stars, for instance.