The Praying Hands

By Dr Nihal D Amerasekera

I was a boarder at Wesley College for six years. There is a certain intensity to the memories of boarding life. There was a small room sandwiched between the busy and noisy dormitories. This was our chapel. It had a quiet and reflective atmosphere and was a place of shelter and sanctuary from the ever-present storms of life in the boarding. What touched us all was its sheer simplicity. The walls were bare. There were no furniture but for a lectern placed in a corner. We sat on the floor for a short service every evening.

The floor was clean, polished and shiny. The sermon was conducted by the staff. Mr L.A Fernando was a charismatic teacher and a towering presence on the teaching scene at Wesley from the 1950s and well into the 60’s. One evening when we were all gathered in the Chapel he brought with him a parcel. He carefully unwrapped a painting and said “I’m going to tell you a story”. He was famous for his stories and there was a buzz of excitement in the room. Mr Fernando unfolded the legend behind the famous artwork, “Praying Hands”, which was to adorn the Chapel wall.

It was a painting by Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528). He was a supremely gifted and versatile artist. Albrecht lived in Nuremberg in Southern Germany with his parents. He began work as an apprentice to his father who was a goldsmith. His remarkable talent was recognised at the age of 13 when he did a self-portrait. His father arranged for him to be trained by a famous artist, Michael Wohlgemuth.

The painting of the Praying Hands done in 1508 is presently located and displayed at the Albertina Museum in Vienna, Austria. The Praying Hands is a pen and ink drawing of a man in prayer. The folded sleeves are shown but not the body. This is recognised as the one of the most famous drawings of all-time. There is great controversy about the history of the ‘Praying Hands’. Much research has been done in the past century about this most remarkable painting. There has been a long-held view that the hands were a part of another painting by Dürer called the ‘Heller Altarpiece’. Dürer was famous for his self-portraits and he has done them at several stages of his life. Hence, Christof Metzger’s well researched opinion is that Dürer has drawn his own hands. The true history and the inspiration for this artwork, however, is lost in the fog of time.

Bringing the hands together to pray is believed to have originated in Hinduism many thousand years ago. This gesture was taken and then used by many other religions and cultures. Bringing the hands together in this way can mean respect, obedience or even submission.

Fact or fiction, there is a deeper story attached to this famous painting, one of familial love, supreme sacrifice and sincere homage, a narrative which has survived the test of time. Albrecht was one of 18 children in the family. His father had to work 18 hours a day to feed the children. Two of his older children Albrecht and Albert wanted to become painters. Their father could only afford to send one to the Academy at Nuremburg to study art. After much discussion, the story goes, that they tossed a coin. The agreement was for one to go to the academy while the other laboured in the coal mines to pay for art school.

After completing the training, he can sell his art and pay for the other brother to attend the Academy. Albrecht won the ‘toss’ and went to the Academy first. Albert did the dangerous work in the mines for four years. After Albrecht’s training his work was greatly admired and he became well known. His commissioned work earned him large sums of money. When the young artist returned to the village after four years, in all his glory, his father held a festive dinner. After a long and memorable meal Albrecht rose to drink a toast to his brother for the years of sacrifice. All heads turned towards Albert who was in tears with his head bowed.

Albrecht said “my dearest brother now it is your turn to go to the academy”. Albert sobbed and said “No, I cannot go to the academy now. See what working in the mine has done to my hands. It is far too late for me. Every bone in my hands have broken at least once and I now suffer from arthritis. I cannot even raise a glass for a toast with my right hand”.

Albrecht was deeply saddened by this news. As a tribute to Albert’s supreme sacrifice, Albrecht later drew his brother’s hands in prayer simply calling the painting “Hands”. The painting was so pleasingly intimate. The world who saw this loving tribute preferred to rename it “Praying Hands”. Through its religious connotations and artistic beauty, It is now among the most famous drawings of all time and one of the most heavily reproduced.

As an artist of repute Albrecht Dürer travelled widely to the Netherlands, Switzerland and Italy to learn further from the Great Masters. Dürer was greatly influenced by Italian art. He soon became a leading artist of the Renaissance period. Through his talent, intellect and expertise Albrecht became friends with influential, rich and famous people including the Roman Emperor Maximilian 1. Dürer remains as one of the finest artists Europe has produced. His paintings adorn museums all around the world.

Physicians who have studied the painting suggest there are signs of disease and human suffering in the hands depicted. The bent little finger of the right hand may be due to Dupuytren’s contracture. There is muscle wasting perhaps due to diabetic neuropathy. Due to the deformity of the fingers and the left thumb some have suggested rheumatoid arthritis. All this is pure conjecture. The details shown in this drawing is said to be the result of Dürer’s exposure to the Renaissance culture of Italian art.

This story and the painting have been a special favourite of Christians for several centuries. The painting hangs in homes, churches and schools as a reminder of our need to pray.It is often hard to fathom from the external appearance what burdens people carry all through their lives. Once we know the true stories of their lives we learn to appreciate and respect their perseverance and sacrifices.

I have now lived abroad for half a century. Visiting art galleries and museums in Europe and the USA have given me immense pleasure over many years. They offer a wonderful opportunity to journey though time. Dürer’s paintings are easy on the eyes and speak volumes. Whenever I see a painting of Albrecht Dürer, I am transported across the seas to Wesley College and to the chapel where I first saw the “Praying Hands”. Being the only photo in the little chapel in the boarding the artwork had a tremendous impact on us all.

I thank Mr L.A Fernando for his thoughtful gift which had remained a shrine to a legend. On a visit to my school in 2012 it brought me great sadness to see that the boarding has ceased to exist. Perhaps a sign of the times!! I stood there bewildered by the emptiness and mesmerised by the sound of silence. It all looked so sad and derelict. Just for a brief moment I was transported to those wondrous days of hustle and bustle. Memories came flooding back of friends and those glorious times of long ago. I had to wipe a tear as I stepped out into the afternoon sunshine.

We live in a fast-moving world. There doesn’t seem to be any time for others, except oneself.

But if we take a step back we realise there are many who have helped us along the way including our parents, teachers and friends. Let us not allow this help and sacrifice to be taken for granted. We must remember the many who have fought in the great wars and given their lives so that we can live free. No one makes it alone in this world.

Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness – Napoleon Hill