Bedtime Prayer 

Arthur Sarnoff painted this intimate scene of childhood, capturing a moment of bedtime prayer. The central motif, the clasped hands, transcends mere religious practice. Consider the ancient Roman gesture of the "Adlocutio," where orators extended their hands to command attention and respect. In Sarnoff's work, this primal gesture is inverted. It is directed inward and upward, signifying supplication, faith, and a sense of security. It's not hard to find the roots of this gesture even earlier, in the votive statuettes of ancient Sumer, hands clasped in perpetual worship. The act of prayer is an emotional anchor, a way to confront the uncertainties of life. This little girl, kneeling at the edge of sleep, connects us to our own earliest memories of seeking comfort in the face of the unknown. This connection is a cyclical pattern, as this deeply embedded, subconscious memory is replayed with each new generation.