Holy Family 1598 - 1688

Claude Mellan etched this Holy Family, rendered solely through variations in line thickness, sometime in the 17th century. The iconography here, like the Christ child's raised hand, signifies blessing or divine authority. This motif is not isolated; across millennia, we see rulers and deities depicted with a similar gesture, from ancient Roman emperors to Renaissance portrayals of God. Over time, this gesture transcends mere authority, evolving into a symbol of guidance and protection. In Mellan's work, the Christ child’s gesture speaks to the subconscious longing for divine intervention and guidance, engaging us on a primal level. The emotional weight of this simple hand gesture is a powerful force, demonstrating how symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings. The act of blessing becomes a continuous thread, a cyclical progression of hope and authority renewed through art.