Box 1762 - 1763

This ivory box was made by Jacques Michel Lemaire sometime between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. At first glance, we see exotic flora framing a narrative scene. A bearded man stands with arms raised, a gesture echoing that of ancient orators and religious figures invoking divine power. Consider how this motif travels through time. In classical antiquity, it signified authority; in early Christian art, supplication to God. Here, its appearance in a Chinese-inspired setting suggests an appropriation and reinterpretation. What could this gesture mean? The subconscious associations we attach to such symbols create an emotional force. This potent symbol can stir feelings of awe or perhaps even a sense of the uncanny. The recurring reappearance of the upraised arms, from emperors to deities, highlights our collective fascination with authority, spirituality, and our place within the cosmos. These gestures echo through centuries.