Seated Female Nude with Raised Arms 1658 - 1662

This is Johannes Raven’s ink drawing of a seated female nude, made around the mid-17th century in the Netherlands. The raised arms and the slight twist of the torso are motifs that echo through centuries of art history, particularly in depictions of Venus or Eve. Consider the gesture of raised arms: it’s a symbol that recurs in moments of revelation, surrender, or anguish. Think of the ancient sculptures of the goddess Isis, her arms raised in a gesture of protection, or even the Christian iconography of the Virgin Mary, hands uplifted in prayer. These gestures tap into a collective memory. The pose speaks to primal emotions—vulnerability, exposure, and an appeal to something beyond oneself. This drawing is not just a study of the body; it's a continuation of a visual language that explores the depths of human emotion, resurfacing and evolving across time.