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HISTORYOFHAND SURGERY

Study of Hand Signs in Judeo-Christian Art

Ashwin N. Ram, BS, Kevin C. Chung, MD

Hand gestures play a crucial role in religious art. An examination of Judeo-Christian art findsan ecclesiastical language that is concealed in metaphors and expressed by unique handgestures. Many of these hand signs convey messages that are not familiar to most peopleadmiring these paintings. Investigating the history and classifying some of the predominanthand signs found in Judeo-Christian art might serve to stimulate discussion concerning themany nuances of symbolic art. This presentation examines the meaning behind 8 commonhand signs in Judeo-Christian art. ( J Hand Surg 2008;33A:1182 – 1188. Copyright © 2008 bythe American Society for Surgery of the Hand. All rights reserved.)

Key words Christian art, hand gestures, hand signs, hand symbols, Judeo-Christian art.

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OPULAR WORKS SUCH as The Da Vinci Code haverecently awakened dormant interest in a varietyof medieval art pieces that are thought to contain

ubtle messages. Even a minor analysis of medievaludeo-Christian art demonstrates unquestionably thatertain hand signs and gestures do exist and that theyight have been intentionally created to convey a se-

ret, mysterious message. What results from these de-iberate hand signs are ancient stories that conveyeanings and lessons of significance to their admirers.The hands are structured in a way that optimizes

uman interaction with the environment. Beyond theirpparent motor and tactile functions, the hands can alsompart a variety of informative signs and expressiveestures to serve as an important means of nonverbalommunication.1 When a prehistoric human lacked thebility to express abstract thoughts verbally, he or sheas forced to enhance the limited vocabulary with handestures.1,2 Studies of body-motion communication fur-her confirm that the graphic hand gestures and hand

We appreciate the support from a National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and SkinDiseases Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24 AR053120; to K.C.C.).

From The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI; and the Section of Plastic Surgery,Department of Surgery, The University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI.

Received for publication January 14, 2008; accepted in revised form January 17, 2008.

No benefits in any form have been received or will be received related directly or indirectly to thesubject of this article.

Corresponding author: Kevin C. Chung, MD, Section of Plastic Surgery, The University of Michi-gan Health System, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, 2130 Taubman Center, SPC 5340, Ann Arbor, MI48109-5340; e-mail: kecchung@med.umich.edu.

0363-5023/08/33A07-0024$34.00/0

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182 � © ASSH � Published by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.

igns of this prehistoric “hand language” actually par-llel linguistic structure.1 These movements can func-ion like sounds and can be combined to form messageshat range from the very simple to very complex.1 Bytudying hand gestures, researchers found that the ges-ural communication of ancient man had forms thatere surprisingly similar to words in spoken language.1

his holds true even in modern times; a simplethumbs-up” can describe a certain mutual understand-ng between individuals, whereas certain finger gesturesan reflect an intense feeling of dissent. In art, one canlearly see the appeal of using well-developed handigns to express religious ideas.

Hand symbolism has taken on various meaningshroughout the ages. Medieval paintings and muralsound in Roman Catholic churches often depict God asn almighty hand emerging from the heavenly clouds toive spiritual guidance to saints and prophets.3 Thengers of the hand have also maintained a specialymbolic importance in ancient societies. In somechools of Kabbalah, a mystical Judaic sect, the fingersf the hands represent the Ten Commandments of thepiritual law, whereas the 10 toes represent the Tenommandments of the physical law.3 Furthermore, the fingers on each hand symbolically represent the 4lements (water, wind, earth, and fire) and the 3 pha-anges of each finger represent the divisions of thelements (the created, the maintained, and the de-troyed).3 It is evident that the symbolic value of theands was established early in man’s religious history.he earliest Judeo-Christian sects also shaped the artis-

ic use of hand symbols by attaching unique meanings

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to the hands to communicate religious concepts andspiritual principles. An example of this concept can befound in symbolism of the thumb. The 2 phalanges ofthe thumb taken together with the thumb metacarpalrepresent the threefold Divinity (the Father, Son, andHoly Spirit); more specifically, the distal phalanx rep-resents the creation of man, the proximal phalanx rep-resents the preservation of man, and the thumb meta-carpal represents the destruction of man.2,3 When thehands are brought together, the 24 phalanges of thefingers symbolize the Twenty-Four Elders who repre-sent the newly created Church of Christ, and the 3thumb bones of each hand taken together represent the6 Days of Creation.3

HAND SIGNS IN JUDEO-CHRISTIAN ARTUse of hand signs as secret messages in art began withthe earliest Christian groups who depended on artisticsymbols to convey exclusive messages between mem-bers.4 As a response to the obstacles presented by thediversity of tongues and locations of the different Chris-tian communities, some early Medieval intellectuals

FIGURE 1: Example of the Sign of Preservation. da Vinci, L.(1513–1516). “St. John the Baptist.” St. John makes a cleardepiction of the Sign of Preservation, signifying theimportance of baptism (that John the Baptist represents) inattaining salvation. (Available at: http://z.about.com/d/arthistory/1/0/K/5/13_n_StJohnTheBaptist.jpg. Accessed Janu-ary 5, 2008.)

suggested that a universally adopted language of hand

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gesture could unite the estranged Christian groups.5

Following this thought, artists started to depict carefullycrafted images that slowly gained acceptance amongthe lay people and eventually ascended to dominance inthe various churches.4 Therefore, the origins of handsigns in Judeo-Christian art can be traced to an evolu-tion of hand symbols that were collectively agreed onby the art community.4

The evolution of hand symbolism in medieval artwas established by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci,

FIGURE 2: Examples of the Sign of Despair. A Michelangelo(1535–1541). Detail from “The Last Judgment.” A manillustrating the Sign of Despair in Michelangelo’s famousmural found on the altar wall in the Sistine Chapel in VaticanCity. (Available at: http://www.hobby-o.com/damnedlarge.jpg.Accessed January 5, 2008.) B Steen, J. H. (1661). “TheSacrifice of Iphigenia.” A king on the right side of thispainting leans on his stick in dejection presenting the Sign ofDespair as an executioner is about to kill a woman. (Available at:http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/aria/aria_assets/SK-A-3984?lang�en.Accessed January 5, 2008.)

Fra Angelico, and Antonio da Correggio, in large part

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as an effort to present teachings to the predominatelyilliterate public before the introduction of educationsystems to the masses.5 These signs were part of anancient and ritualistic “Mystery Language” that ex-pressed religious themes and left behind secret mes-sages in many of the artistic relics of the Medieval

FIGURE 3: Examples of the Sign of Heaven and Earth. ADossi, D. (1528). “Diana and Calisto.” A woman displayingthe Sign of Heaven and Earth portending a woman’sascendance to heaven after her death. (Available at:http://www.wga.hu/art/d/dossi/diana.jpg. Accessed January 5,2008.) B da Correggio, A. (1525). “No Li Me Tangere.” Jesusis seen here presenting the Sign of Heaven and Earth as hespeaks to Mary Magdalene after his Resurrection. (Availableat: http://www.abcgallery.com/C/correggio/correggio24.html.Accessed January 5, 2008.)

Ages.2 It is believed that the symbolic nature of Judeo-

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Christian art is due to the substantial amount of influ-ence by the Freemasons, a fraternal organization ofexpert craftsmen who were appointed by clergymen toperform the bulk of the artistic work now present inchurches and cathedrals across Europe.2 Because theFreemasons were given the freedom to be creative, theydecided to incorporate their unique knowledge of sym-bolic imagery into many of the scenes presented inreligious art.2 That is why many of the Judeo-Christianartworks we find today are characterized by a didactictone that communicates various ideas to leave a story inthe painting.2 J. S. M. Ward, an accomplished writer onFreemasonry and an authority on religious art, catego-rized several of these hand signs in order to restore thisonce well-known knowledge.2 According to Ward,among the most prevalent hand gestures encountered inmedieval Judeo-Christian art are the Sign of Preserva-tion, Sign of Despair, Sign of Heaven and Earth, Sign ofBlessing, Sign of Prayer, Sign of Resignation, Sign ofDistress, and Sign of Praise.

Sign of preservation

In this gesture, one hand is placed over the heart while

FIGURE 4: Representations of the Sign of Blessing. Bellini,G. (1460). “Christ’s Blessing.” Christ is seen here presentingthe Sign of Blessing amid the ominous backdrop. (Availableat: http://www.abcgallery.com/B/bellini/bellini14.JPG. AccessedJanuary 5, 2008.)

the other is raised at a right angle at the elbow with the

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images/printsdurer.jpeg. Accessed January 5, 2008.)

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hand pointing upward (Fig. 1).2 The individual display-ing the sign is requesting his or someone else’s preser-vation based on his fidelity to God.2 There are severalvariations of this sign that are usually attributed toartistic efforts to maintain visual balance in a piece or toindicate a subtle change in meaning. In an importantvariation, Jesus is depicted in the pose but with the ringand little fingers folded onto the palm in the form of abenediction. This gesture indicates Jesus’ assurance that

FIGURE 6: Depictions of the Sign of Resignation. ALorenzetti, A. (c. 1317–1348). “Annunciation.” Depiction ofrevelation to Mary by archangel Gabriel that she will conceiveJesus. Mary is making the Sign of Resignation showing thatshe is resigning her fate to God. (Available at: http://www.abcgallery.com/L/lorenzetti/alorenzetti1.html. AccessedJanuary 5, 2008.) B Angelico, F. (c. 1430–1432). “Altarpieceof the Annunciation.” Illustration of Mary receiving word thatshe will conceive Christ. She makes the Sign of Resignationas the Divine Light streams onto her from the Heavens.(Available at: http://www.abcgallery.com/A/angelico/angelico27.html. Accessed January 5, 2008.)

FIGURE 5: Illustrations of the Sign of Prayer. A Memling, H.(c. 1480–1485). “Portrait of a Praying Man.” A clearillustration of the Sign of Prayer. (Available at: http://www.abcgallery.com/M/memling/memling3.html. Accessed January5, 2008.) B Durer, A. (1496). “The Prodigal Son amid theSwine.” An engraving illustrating a scene from the parable ofthe Prodigal Son. The man depicted is making a Sign ofPrayer. (Available at: http://www.arthistory.sbc.edu/artartists/

those who receive him will gain preservation.2

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Sign of despair

Despair is indicated by resting the head on one handwhile supporting the elbow of that arm by the otherhand with the arm lying horizontally across the solarplexus (Fig. 2).2 Often, the head is resting on the righthand, but it is also common to find the head resting onthe left hand if it is more advantageous to the artist interms of balancing the painting. The Sign of Despair iscommonly found in Judgment scenes being made bythe lost souls who have discovered their lives to be invain and is occasionally seen expressing the VirginMary’s sorrow in Crucifixion scenes.2 The Sign ofDespair is also used to express the defeats and distressesof everyday life and frequently communicates a senseof despondency and regret.6

Sign of heaven and earth

The Sign of Heaven and Earth is made by extendingone hand above the head pointing skyward and theother extended downward pointing to the earth (Fig. 3).This sign is unique in that its origin dates back to alegend connected with Buddha. When Buddha wasaccused of immoral conduct by a wicked woman, hepointed with his hands to the sky and the earth callingupon Heaven and Earth to witness the falsity of the

FIGURE 7: Illustration of the Sign of Distress. Roman fresco(c. 1st century AD). “Sacrifice of Iphigenia.” Iphigenia makesthe Sign of Distress as she is carried away to be executedwhile witnesses look on in sadness. (Available at: http://www.beloit.edu/� classics/Trojan%20War%20Site/Iphigenia/Sacrifice_of_Iphigenia(Fresco_Pompeii-1st_cent._CE).jpg. AccessedJanuary 5, 2008.)

charge.2,7 In Judeo-Christian art, the effect of this sign

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is to communicate that someone has descended fromHeaven to Earth and afterwards ascended again, or toillustrate the opposite wherein someone has passed onto the grave and has later ascended to Heaven.2 Thesign is found most commonly in connection with theresurrection of Christ and the miracle of Lazarus, inwhich Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead after Lazarushad spent 4 days in a tomb.2 A variation of this signincludes the hands in front of the body with the wristsplaced adjacent to each other with only the index fin-gers of each hand pointing either upwards or down-ward.2

Sign of blessing

In Judeo-Christian art, it is common to encounter theSign of Blessing, which is used by holy men and Christto consecrate objects and bless people in the name ofthe Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the HolyGhost).2 The sign prescribes that the ring and littlefingers should be folded to the palm of the hand whilethe index and middle fingers are held upright.2 Thethumb is usually held erect but can be found folded intothe ring finger. This hand sign is one of the mostuniversally recognized and is very commonly associ-ated with ecclesiastical use (Fig. 4).

Sign of prayer

The Sign of Prayer is one of the best known religioussigns that is present in, but not limited to, Judeo-Chris-tian art. In the Sign of Prayer, the palms of the hands areplaced together with the fingers pointed upward.2 Aprevalent adaptation of this sign is to fold the handstogether and interlock the fingers.8 The meaning of thissign is straightforward—it is a gestural motif that isused to indicate that a person is praying (Fig. 5).

Sign of resignation

The Sign of Resignation entails crossing the hands overthe chest with the ends of the fingers resting on theshoulders (Fig. 6).2 Traditionally, the left arm shouldface most anteriorly, placed over the right arm, but thisdetail is often abandoned in artwork.2 The Sign ofResignation may have originated in ancient Egyptwhere the dead were buried in this position and placedin sarcophagi that were molded in this fashion.2 Thesymbolism of this position implies that the dead re-signed their souls into the hands of God with confidencethat He, the Great Judge, would give to them the justreward of their deeds and that their sufferings were notcomparable with the glory that would be revealed to

them.2,9

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Sign of distress

The Sign of Distress is a remarkable hand gesture thathas taken on many representations. In its truest form,the Sign of Distress is a snapshot of a patterned pro-gression of heaving the hands up with the palms towardthe front and slightly upward and then dropping them tothe sides.2 Traditionally, there are 3 stages involved inthe act of making this sign, all of which are incorpo-rated in Judeo-Christian art. In the first motion, the armsare fully extended above the head. Then, the arms arebent and the hands are in line with the head. Finally, thehands are brought down to chin level, after which theyare dropped to the sides (Fig. 7).2 Artistic figures whoare in mortal danger issue a desperate appeal for help bymaking the Sign of Distress.

Sign of praise

The Sign of Praise is sometimes mistaken for the Signof Distress but there are crucial differences. In the Signof Praise, the hands are uplifted and are sloped forwardwith the hands facing outward and the elbows bent (Fig.8).2 The Sign of Praise conveys a sentiment of exalta-tion or reverence. This sign also bears a clear resem-blance to the first movement of a Middle Eastern greet-ing and so is thought to date back to the ancientEgyptians.2

There is a rich and complex history tied to thepresence and use of hand symbolism in Judeo-Christianart. These hand gestures represent ancient traditionalknowledge that has been neglected and devalued untilrecent times. During the Renaissance and the Reforma-tion, the old symbolic system was nearly discontinuedand the meaning behind a considerable number of thesemysterious hand signs was lost.2

Symbolism may be present in various art forms,particularly when connected with religion. In general,hand signs in art are a subtle, aesthetic, and effectivemeans of communicating important principles andmoral lessons. Hands often represent who we are. Theway we think, act, and live are expressed through thepostures and positions of our hands. Hand signs play animportant, if enigmatic, role in Judeo-Christian art.They have been, and will continue to be, an importantaspect of art and emotive expression.

REFERENCES1. Birdwhistell R. eds. Kinesics and context: essays on body motion

communication. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press,1970:80–81.

2. Ward JSM. eds. Sign language of the mysteries. New York: Land’sEnd Press, 1969:1–6, 11–16, 55–78, 113–147.

3. Hall MP. eds. The secret teaching of all ages–an encyclopedic outline

FIGURE 8: Representations of the Sign of Praise. A Angelico,F. (1439–1443). “Crucified Christ with Saint John theEvangelist, the Virgin, and Saints Dominic and Jerome.” Aman conferring the Sign of Praise upon Jesus after hisCrucifixion. (Available at: http://www.museum-replicas.com/images/productimages/small/angelico_crucifixion-red.JPG. Ac-cessed January 5, 2008.) B Angelico, F. (1425–1430). “Presen-tation in the Temple.” A lady poses with the Sign of Praise as sheis presented with baby Jesus. (Available at:http://www.museum-replicas.com/images/productimages/small/Angelico-presentation-red.JPG. Accessed January 5,

of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucial symbolical philos-ophy. New York: Penguin Group, 2003:228–233.

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4. Hornik HJ, Parsons MC. eds. Interpreting Christian art: reflections onChristian art. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 2003:188–189.

5. Knowlson JR. The idea of gesture as a universal language in theXVIIth and XVIIIth centuries. J History Ideas 1965;26:495–508.

6. Dodwell CR, Graham T. eds. Anglo-Saxon gestures and the Romanstage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000:75–76.

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7. Ghori AK, Chung KC. Interpretation of hand signs in Buddhist art.J Hand Surg 2007;32A:918–922.

8. Sebeok T, Umker-Sebeok J. eds. Monastic sign languages. Berlin:Mouton de Gruyter, 1987:195.

9. Drury J. eds. Painting the word: Christian pictures and their meanings.New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000:4–8.

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