Paulus verkondight het woord op zijn eerste apostolische reis 1610 - 1652

Pieter Fransz. de Grebber rendered this drawing, titled 'Paulus verkondight het woord op zijn eerste apostolische reis', with pencil. Note the raised hand of the figure on the left, a gesture loaded with meaning that echoes across cultures and centuries. This hand, reaching towards the heavens, isn't merely a depiction of physical action; it's a 'pathos formula', a visual expression of heightened emotion. Recall similar gestures in classical antiquity—orators imploring crowds, gods bestowing blessings. This motif surfaces again and again, a testament to its enduring power to convey states of spiritual intensity. Consider, too, how the open hand, vulnerable and exposed, communicates sincerity and truth. The collective memory embedded in this gesture stirs something deep within us; a recognition of shared human experience. It’s this emotional force, transcending time, that links us to the past and to each other.