Maagd Maria 1819 - 1845

This image presents the Virgin Mary, etched by Elisabeth Alida Haanen, with a humble gaze and hand placed over her heart. This simple gesture speaks volumes. The hand-to-heart motif resonates deeply within our collective memory. We see echoes of it in ancient depictions of piety and sincerity. Consider the Roman orator, his hand raised in rhetoric, a posture adopted through the centuries to convey solemnity and truth. Here, the Virgin’s gesture is one of acceptance, of inner reflection, the emotional core laid bare. In our subconscious, this symbol bridges the sacred and the deeply personal. Just as the serpent weaves its way through diverse mythologies, forever reborn, this simple yet profound gesture of the hand to heart endures. It reappears across time, continually re-invested with meaning. It echoes through history, reminding us of the enduring power of visual language.