GESTURES. — For the determination of ancient Christian iconographic scenes, the interpretation of gestures is of great importance; Cicero defined them as “the eloquence of the body” (cf. Quintilian, *Instit.* 11, 3, 1).
As Tertullian teaches, the Christian prayed standing, in a humble and modest attitude, with hands raised and outstretched in memory of the Lord’s Passion (*De oratore*, 14, 17). Origen recommended keeping the eyes lifted (*De oratore*, 31; *PG* 11, 549). The gesture of teaching or of *praelegere* was that of the seated figure with an open scroll, surrounded by an audience (Suetonius, *De gramm.* 16); this is the gesture given to the Lord among the Apostolic College, both in funerary paintings and on sarcophagi (e.g., in Wilpert, *Sarcofagi*, pl. 1, 1).
In ancient iconography, one of the most important gestures is that of the laying on of hands, which could be used for the rite of blessing, as when Noah blesses his sons, Isaac blesses Jacob, etc., or to confer supernatural gifts, as in the creation of man (Wilpert, *Sarcofagi*, pl. 90, 208, 10), in the multiplication of loaves and fishes (ibid., *Pitture*, pl. 39, 2; id., *Sarcofagi*, pl. 1; 2, 11, 2; 65, 5), and in the Old Testament for the judgment of Susanna (ibid., *Pitture*, pl. 14; id., *Sarcofagi*, pl. 190, 1).
This gesture is very frequent in scenes of healing, for example, of the paralytic (ibid., *Pitture*, pl. 212; id., *Sarcofagi*, pl. 229, 1), of the blind (ibid., *Pitture*, pl. 129, 2; id., *Sarcofagi*, pl. 143, 2; 227, 2; 230, 3), of the leper (ibid., *Sarcofagi*, pl. 220, 1), of the woman with an issue of blood (ibid., *Pitture*, pl. 20, 98, 130; id., *Sarcofagi*, pl. 39, 1; 99, 1; 123, 2), and of the possessed (in a diptych in the Louvre, cf. H. Peirce – R. Taylor, *L’art byzantin*, I, Paris 1933, pl. 97).
The gesture of acclamation (as in the scene of Augustus’ *liberalitas* on the Arch of Constantine) is performed by the Apostles beside the *crux invicta* on sarcophagi, or by Peter and Paul on the Arch of St. Mary Major, beside the *insignia Christi*, or even in funerary paintings (Wilpert, *Pitture*, pl. 252).
A sacred object was received with veiled hands (G. B. De Rossi, in *Bull. arch. crist.*, 4th ser., 5 [1887], pl. 7). The oratorical gesture was the same as in classical art, as discussed by Quintilian (*Instit.*, 11, 3, 119) and Apuleius (*Metam.*, 2, 21). The orator was depicted with the last two fingers of the right hand closed, the others extended, and in some cases with the thumb turned downward (Quintilian, *Instit.*, 11, 3, 119; Apuleius, *Metam.*, 2, 21).
Plaster — Gesture for the portrait of Napoleon by A. Canova — Rome, Insigne Accademia di San Luca — Pinacoteca.
Sometimes the gesture of supplication, *prostratio*, appears, as in some funerary paintings (Wilpert, *Pitture*, pl. 74, 2; cf. F. Josi, *Coemeterium maius*. Di un arcosolio con nuove pitture, in *Riv. di arch. crist.*, 10 [1933], p. 12, fig. 6), and on sarcophagi where the two spouses are prostrate at the feet of the Lord. There is also the gesture of invitation, for example, on a sarcophagus where the shepherd caresses the sheep (Wilpert, *Sarcofagi*, pl. 82, 4); the shepherd’s gesture of menace (ibid., pl. 48, 2-4); the gesture of terror made by terrified sailors when the prophet Jonah is swallowed by the monster (Wilpert, *Sarcofagi*, pl. 202); the gesture of grief was represented by the right hand beneath the chin (Cyprian, *Ep.*, 11, 4), and this is often seen in Jonah in funerary paintings (Wilpert, *Pitture*, pl. 96, 100).
There is also the apotropaic gesture against the evil eye performed by Pilate (Wilpert, *Sarcofagi*, pl. 13, p. 318). — See pl. XVII.
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