Found an interesting old image of John C Calhoun and just wondered if anyone knows what the possible meaning of the hand gesture is if any. Thanks for any ideas.
This gesture was quite common in Da Vinci paintings as well as other renaissance paintings, I saw a show on History (History Unearthed?) and that symbol was supposed to indicate the bloodline of Jesus, the "M" was for Mary Magdelene? check out the Mona Lisa her hand is also like this, but a little more subtle
I see kids doing it today, and it does NOT mean the bloodline of Jesus with them. Actually don't know what it means to them. Me & Them, We Be Far Apart....
What ever the show was, I was very surprised by the amount of subtle gestures, many believe that the masons are the keepers of the secret bloodline... very interesting or just a really good story..who knows..
Relax. It's simply two things: 1. a hand gesture to show that a man was a gentleman of substance and breeding. 2. It was a form of posing. Sitting was one way, that was another, profile was another. But I did like the "Los Vatos" answer...
This article goes into it in depth -- I didn't read it all but I think it is attributed mainly to the work of El Greco and said to be "El Greco's trademark way of expressing elegance"