La Noblesse Française à l’église (De Franse adel in de kerk) c. 1628 - 1629

This engraving, by Abraham Bosse, captures the French nobility inside a church. Note the aristocratic woman's open palms, a gesture laden with supplication. This haptic language echoes across time, from the orant figures of early Christian catacombs to Renaissance depictions of the Virgin Mary. Consider the ancient Roman practice of displaying conquered deities with outstretched arms, a sign of submission. The gesture, laden with complex emotions, reappears through history, transformed yet resonant. It’s a primal appeal, a subconscious recognition of vulnerability. Ultimately, these recurring motifs are not linear, but cyclical. They resurface, evolve, and acquire new meanings, continuously engaging with our collective memory.