Heiligverklaarden uit de familie Grotta 1717 - 1763

This etching by Pietro Monaco depicts the saints of the Grotta family. The act of kneeling is an important gesture that appears in this work. Kneeling, as we see in the foreground, is an ancient gesture of supplication and reverence. It is not unique to Christianity, but its presence in the Christian tradition speaks to a deeper human impulse, one of humbling oneself before a higher power or an esteemed figure. This posture can be seen echoed across centuries in different contexts. Consider the kneeling figures in ancient Egyptian art presenting offerings to their pharaohs, or the way it appears in Renaissance paintings, where donors kneel before the Virgin Mary, indicating respect and devotion. The act of kneeling is a potent reminder of the cyclical and enduring nature of human expression, and the ways in which we continually return to certain gestures to convey our innermost feelings of reverence.