Begroeting van Romulus 1573

This engraving by Pieter Jalhea Furnius depicts Romulus, the founder of Rome, greeted by women and children. Notice the women's gestures, their hands clasped in supplication and raised in a display of vulnerability. This is a symbolic posture of submission, an ancient gesture found in various cultures across time. The raised hands, with palms open, echo the "orant" pose seen in early Christian art, where figures raise their hands in prayer, seeking divine intervention or grace. Yet, we can trace this gesture back even further, to ancient Egyptian art, where similar poses signified reverence and supplication to the gods. It reappears throughout medieval art as well. The persistence of this gesture speaks to a deep-seated human impulse—the primal need for protection, forgiveness, and the hope for benevolence from a higher power, or, in this case, from a leader returning from war. It showcases how symbols and gestures can transcend cultures and epochs, carrying emotional and psychological weight. The cyclical progression of this symbol demonstrates how it has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.