Reproductie van een gravure van een portret van Quinten Massijs door Johannes Wierix before 1877

Joseph Maes created this engraving of a portrait of Quinten Massijs after Johannes Wierix in the 19th century. Look at the hands of Massijs. The gesture of folded hands, a seemingly simple pose, carries within it layers of meaning that resonate across time. We can trace this motif back to ancient Roman funerary art, where it symbolized piety, honor, and dignity. Over centuries, as the Roman Empire crumbled and Christianity rose, this gesture was adopted into Christian iconography, evolving into a sign of prayer, humility, and devotion. Here, the gesture may reflect the inner contemplation and intellectual rigor associated with Renaissance artists. This folding of hands, like a visual echo, binds the Renaissance artist to the continuum of human expression, a testament to the enduring power of art to transcend time and space.