Christus Remunerator c. 1847 - 1863

Carel Christiaan Antony Last created this print, Christus Remunerator, depicting Christ amidst a crowd of supplicants, rewarding them. The dominant visual symbol is Christ's open arms, a gesture of welcome, acceptance, and divine grace. This motif appears throughout art history, echoing images of emperors or deities bestowing blessings. Yet, the specific posture—arms outstretched, palms visible—carries a deeper resonance. Consider the ancient Roman gesture of adlocutio, where a leader addresses and inspires his troops, or the raised hands of a priest during a benediction. Here, Last's Christ offers not earthly power but spiritual solace. The supplicants mirror humanity's eternal yearning for redemption, a collective memory etched into our subconscious. Note the figure kneeling, head in hands, a universal posture of grief. This echoes the lamentations found in countless works of art, from ancient Greek tragedies to Renaissance depictions of the Passion. This pose becomes a vessel for expressing profound emotion, engaging viewers on a visceral level. The open arms of Christ, therefore, are not just a historical reference; they are a cyclical return to an archetypal image. This image resurfaces through time, continually evolving, and reminding us of the enduring power of compassion and divine acceptance.