Icon with Hands in Prayer - embroidered, framed, 15x18 cm
In a village in the fifteenth century, a family with 18 children lived modestly. Two of their children, passionate about drawing, made a pact: to support each other to study at the Academy in Nuremberg. Albrecht won, and his brother, Albert, worked in the mine to support him. Upon Albrecht's return, he proposed to support his brother at the academy, but Albert refused, his toiled and affected hands not allowing him to pursue his dream. Later, Albrecht painted his brother's hands as a tribute to his sacrifice, the work becoming famous under the name "Hands in Prayer".
The Hands in Prayer, also known as the Study of an Apostle's Hands, is a pen and ink drawing by the German engraver, painter, and theorist Albrecht Dürer. The work is preserved today at the Albertina Museum in Vienna, Austria.
Albrecht Dürer (b. May 21, 1471, Nuremberg - d. April 6, 1528, Nuremberg) was a German painter, engraver, and art theorist, one of the leading figures in the universal history of art. With approximately 350 woodcuts and 100 copper engravings, he made a decisive contribution to the development of engraving as a standalone art form. The golden thread used in this icon emphasizes the sacred nature of the act of prayer.
The hands are not just anatomical representations but become symbols of faith and devotion. They seem to speak without words, conveying the power and depth of prayer, inviting the viewer to contemplation and spiritual upliftment.
