St John the Evangelist c. 1540

This wooden sculpture of St. John the Evangelist was created around 1570 by Arnt van Tricht. St. John is often depicted with an eagle, symbolizing the soaring, spiritual nature of his gospel, but here, the figure's downcast gaze and hand to his chest convey profound introspection. Consider this pose – hand to chest - echoing across centuries, from ancient Roman orators to Renaissance portraits. It is a gesture of sincerity, yet also of inner contemplation. The way St John holds a book in his other hand reminds me of classical depictions of philosophers holding scrolls of wisdom. The book and the gesture, though, have acquired a new, spiritual meaning as they are passed on in time. It speaks to the enduring human quest for meaning and connection with the divine, a thread that binds us to the past, ever-evolving, ever-present.