Engel met gekruiste armen 1660

Lucas Vorsterman the Younger created this engraving of an angel in the 17th century. The angel’s clasped hands carry a potent symbolic weight, signifying piety, supplication, and divine connection. Consider how the gesture of folded hands has traversed centuries, appearing in ancient Roman art as a sign of prayer. The Romans likely adopted the gesture from even earlier traditions, where clasped hands symbolized a sacred bond. It resurfaces during the Renaissance in devotional paintings, now imbued with Christian significance, representing humility before God. The persistence of this gesture reveals the enduring power of symbols to tap into our collective memory and subconscious. This angel’s posture evokes a sense of inner reflection. Such expressions are not merely artistic conventions; they are a testament to the unbroken chain of human expression.