Hands and arm 

Ventura Salimbeni created this drawing, "Hands and arm," sometime between the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Salimbeni was working in a time where the Catholic Church and powerful families dominated society. The drawing itself focuses on hands, a body part that is used for labor, and that has the power to create. The study is rendered in red chalk, which lends a warmth to the image. This is the kind of drawing that would have allowed him to perfect the skills needed to take on large scale commissions. The hands are posed in various positions. There's a sense of potential and expressiveness in the hands, inviting us to reflect on the role of artists as skilled laborers. This drawing isn't just a preparatory study; it's a meditation on the tools of creation and the power they hold.