John Bellingham n.d.

This is a print of John Bellingham by Denis Dighton, made around 1812, at the Sessions House, Old Bailey. Bellingham is seen holding a paper, likely a document related to his trial. But notice the gesture of holding, presenting this paper. Across centuries and cultures, the act of holding an object in one's hand, particularly a document or scroll, has been imbued with significance, think of ancient Roman consuls and their scrolls, or monarchs holding decrees. Bellingham's gesture can be seen echoed in legal settings throughout history, a symbol of knowledge, authority, or justification. This links back to the human desire to inscribe and present our truths. The recurrence of such gestures across time speaks to our shared, innate understanding of symbolic language. These symbols become vessels carrying potent emotional weight, capable of resonating within the collective consciousness. In this image, it evokes a deep psychological tension between guilt and the attempt to defend oneself, inviting us to consider the complex layers of human motivation.