Among the most reproduced engravings in the world is "The Praying Hands" by the 16th
century German artist Albrecht Dürer. Whether these hands depict those of Christ or are,
according to one legend, the hands of Dürer’s brother, this image has deep religious
connotations for many. This picture or sculptural interpretations of it were found and can
still be found in countless homes, offices, schools, and places of worship. These hands
have come to symbolize comfort, security, reverence, devotion and hope. But hands can
also inflict horrible destruction prompted by anger, ignorance, or frustration, as was the
case in the vandalization of the Library’s books. Within the framework of the safe-haven
of a dollhouse world, this piece represents the dichotomy of the hands—praying and
preying. In our daily lives in places of security, moments arise prompted by actions that
are often out of control that forever change how we will look at life and how we must live.
We can seek comfort in the established institutions around us, in friendships or within
ourselves for the strength needed to move on in a world praying/preying hands.
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