Portret van Bernhard von Cham 1731 - 1788

This is Sebastian Walch’s rendering of Bernhard von Cham, made with etching, engraving, and possibly some drypoint. Note the framing of Bernhard, like a window onto the past, but let us focus on the symbol beneath him—a single, gloved hand. The hand is a primal symbol. Think of the "Manus Dei" in early Christian art, God's hand reaching down, a motif borrowed from Roman art. The hand is a gesture of power, protection, and benediction. But here, it's gloved, contained, perhaps alluding to the responsibilities and constraints of civic duty, as Cham was a consul. Consider how hands appear in art across time, from ancient votive offerings to Renaissance portraits. Each time, the hand carries a message, a cultural echo. Like a powerful force that surfaces again and again, tapping into our collective memory.