Hope 1459 - 1471

Niccolò Fiorentino carved this marble figure of Hope in fifteenth-century Italy. Her hands clasped to her chest and her gaze directed upward, this sculpture embodies the virtue of Hope. The gesture of hands clasped to the chest has ancient roots, appearing in images of piety and supplication across cultures, from ancient Roman depictions of conquered figures to Christian images of saints. The act of placing hands on the chest is universally understood as an appeal to something greater. It speaks to our shared, subconscious understanding of vulnerability and trust. However, the figure's upward gaze is just as evocative, suggesting a yearning for divine intervention. Such symbolism transcends time, recurring throughout history as humanity’s emotional cry for deliverance. Fiorentino has tapped into a primal wellspring of human emotion, where hope becomes not just a virtue, but a potent force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level.