Kopf und Oberkörper eines alten Mannes c. 1500

This sanguine drawing of an old man's head and torso resides in the Städel Museum. The subject's downturned gaze and clasped hands create an atmosphere of contemplation or perhaps sorrow. The motif of clasped hands appears across art history, from funerary monuments symbolizing eternal bonds to depictions of saints in prayer. Consider the 'Hands of the Dead' in ancient Roman sarcophagi, where similar gestures evoke mourning and remembrance. The psychological weight of this motif engages viewers on a subconscious level. The image acts as a powerful force, tapping into collective memories of loss and introspection. This iconography has resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in different historical contexts.