Amalfi c. 19th century

Giorgio Sommer captured this image of Amalfi with photography sometime in the 19th century, in which a fountain is the central focus. Note the statue atop this fountain, its arms raised in what we recognize as the orans gesture, a posture of prayer known since antiquity. We see it repeated in early Christian art, adorning the catacombs of Rome, as a symbol of the soul in paradise, eternally praising God. But consider its presence here, crowning a public fountain. The statue is framed by ordinary people going about their day; the sacred gesture is now entwined with the everyday. The orans posture resurfaces throughout history, not only in religious contexts but also in moments of intense human emotion, illustrating how symbols evolve, carrying echoes of the past while adapting to new cultural landscapes. It highlights the fluidity of symbols and their ability to resonate across different epochs, continually reinventing themselves in the collective consciousness.