Gender of symbolic hands

Gender of symbolic hands

Hands to suggest action are common in emblems and other symbolic images. Unless they are specifically attributed to God, they are hands of ungendered agents. It is difficult to interpret hands as not masculine given the idea of action they imply.

However, there seems to be a tendency to include cuffs and other details that identify the hands as masculine or feminine according to the symbolic actions they execute. An example is this emblem Deo et Caseari, in which the hand giving the money appears as masculine and the hand with the incense as feminine: Deo et Ceasari, by Meisner (1700). 

In some cases, as in The other table is fulfilled: When love of the right heart rules, by Dilherr (1663) and Solum Coelestia Firma Sunt, by Meisner (1700) the gender attribution is difficult.

In some cases, such as A hand holds an empty bag, by Albertinus (1618), some vices, perhaps because the association of feminine grammar gender in Latin, are presented as feminized, as avaritia, or as fama in Per multas afflictiones, by Montenay and Visscher (1615, c.) and Sic Spectanda Fides, by Neugebauer (1619).

A possible hypothesis is that symbolic hands, because of their amputated nature, are able to adopt  gender as required for the occasion, but that their gender is not related to the sexual identity of the agent but to the actual event in which the agent is interacting and the meaning of gender is only partially applied to their meaning.

Image 1: Meisner, Daniel (1585-1625)
Image 2: Dilherr, Johann Michael (1604-1669)
Image 3: Meisner, Daniel (1585-1625)
Image 4: Albertinus, Aegidius (1560-1620)
Image 5: Montenay, Georgette de (1540-1581) and Visscher, Anna Roemer (c. 1583-1651)
Image 6: Neugebauer, Salomon (active 17th century)

Image 1: 
Emblematica Online - Resources for Emblem Studies.
http://emblematica.grainger.illinois.edu/oebp/ui/#/results?ekeywords=hand&tab=emblemdetail&eskip=18&emblemid=E010741&bookid=oai:diglib.hab.de:ppn_659008459

Image from the book Politica Politica, id est Urbium Designatio, Civili Prudentiae Parandae Accommodata Quippe hic Praeter genuina & Graphica DCCC, by Meisner, Daniel (1700), Nuremberg: Helmer, Johann Rudolf. p. 213 (bibliographical quotes: VD17 39: 127490B)
Courtesy of Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel (The image displayed is the upper section of the original page):
http://diglib.hab.de/drucke/p-524-2f-helmst/start.htm?image=00213

Image 2: 
Emblematica Online - Resources for Emblem Studies.
http://emblematica.grainger.illinois.edu/oebp/ui/#/results?ekeywords=hand&tab=emblemdetail&eskip=0&emblemid=E014197&bookid=oai:diglib.hab.de:ppn_549837965

Image from the book Heilig-Epistolischer Bericht/ Licht/ Geleit und Freud. Das ist: Emblematische Fürstellung/ Der Heiligen Sonn- und Festtäglichen Episteln ("Holy Epistolic Report / Light / Escort and Freud. This is emblematic representation/ The Holy Sundays and Feast Days Epistles"), by Dilherr, Johann Michael (1663), Nuremberg: Endter, Johann Andreas. p. 103 (bibliographical quotes: VD17 23: 269038A)
Courtesy of Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel:
http://diglib.hab.de/drucke/378-7-theol-2f/start.htm?image=00103

Image 3: 
Emblematica Online - Resources for Emblem Studies.
http://emblematica.grainger.illinois.edu/oebp/ui/#/results?ekeywords=hand&tab=emblemdetail&eskip=18&emblemid=E011072&bookid=oai:diglib.hab.de:ppn_659008459

Image from the book Politica Politica, id est Urbium Designatio, Civili Prudentiae Parandae Accommodata Quippe hic Praeter genuina & Graphica DCCC, by Meisner, Daniel (1700), Nuremberg: Helmer, Johann Rudolf. p. 551 (bibliographical quotes: VD17 39: 127490B)
Courtesy of Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel (The image displayed is the lower section of the original page):
http://diglib.hab.de/drucke/p-524-2f-helmst/start.htm?image=00551

Image 4: 
Emblematica Online - Resources for Emblem Studies.
http://emblematica.grainger.illinois.edu/oebp/ui/#/results?ekeywords=hand&tab=emblemdetail&eskip=18&emblemid=E016753&bookid=oai:diglib.hab.de:ppn_665970064

Image from the book Hiren grinder, by Albertinus, Aegidius (1618), Munich: Hainrich, Nikolaus. Dünnhaupt (2nd edition). p. 301 (bibliographical quotes: VD17 23: 285106L)
Courtesy of Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel:
http://diglib.hab.de/drucke/73-eth-1s/start.htm?image=00301

Image 5:
Emblematica Online - Resources for Emblem Studies.
http://emblematica.grainger.illinois.edu/oebp/ui/#/results?ekeywords=hand&tab=emblemdetail&eskip=36&emblemid=av1615067&bookid=huygens.knaw.nl_3Aemitx_3Aav1615

Image from the book Cent emblemes chrestiens by Montenay, Georgette de and Anna Roemer Visscher (1615, c.), lxvij, 67[b]. Published by Johann Lancelot.
https://emblems.hum.uu.nl/av1615067.html

Archived in:
https://web.archive.org/web/20210512235324/https://emblems.hum.uu.nl/static/images/av1615/pictura/OB-9575-076.jpg

Image 6:
Emblematica Online - Resources for Emblem Studies.
http://emblematica.grainger.illinois.edu/oebp/ui/#/results?ekeywords=hand&tab=emblemdetail&eskip=0&emblemid=E011455&bookid=oai:diglib.hab.de:ppn_618071512

Image from the book Selectorum Symbolorum Heroicorum Centuria Gemina, by Neugebauer, Salomon (1619), Francofurti: Jennis, Lucas. p. 99 (bibliographical quotes: VD17 23: 274340U)
Courtesy of Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel:
http://diglib.hab.de/drucke/405-quod-2s/start.htm?image=00099

Image 1: 1700
Image 2: 1663
Image 3: 1700
Image 4: 1618
Image 5: 1615, c.
Image 6: 1619

Emblems.
Dimensions: Unknown