Paris wordt verwelkomd aan het hof van Menelaüs 1677 - 1755

Elias van Nijmegen rendered this watercolor drawing depicting Paris being welcomed at the court of Menelaus. Consider the gesture of welcome, here, the outstretched hand, a sign of friendship and acceptance. This motif is not isolated to this scene alone, but rather, it echoes through countless depictions of greeting across cultures. Think of the handshake, an exchange of trust, or the open arms of a mother welcoming her child. Yet, the psychological depth of this gesture belies its simplicity. It touches something primal, a longing for connection and reassurance. From antiquity to the Renaissance and beyond, the symbolic language of hands persists, bearing witness to our shared human experience. Consider, too, how such imagery surfaces in times of conflict, as if to remind us of our capacity for empathy, that even in the darkest hours, the hand can be extended. The act of reaching out, therefore, is both a timeless expression of human connection, and a cyclical symbol.