Hand gesture in old photo

[LogansRun]

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.

 

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[Tony_agr]

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

 

[Loco-Digger]

EAST Side Whoooha.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

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....

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

"Westside"

Damn gang-banger.

More likely, it's a Masonic borrowing of a Rabbinic hand gesture.

And there's only so many combinations you can do with four fingers. ;-)

 

[Mackaydon]

I thought it was an early version of this:

but I've been wrong here many times before.
Don....

 

[SkaBa]

Tony, saw the same TV show, think it was a Brad Meltzer program. Jesus/Mary bloodline related.

Today the kids do a backward peace sign, but don't use the other fingers.

 

[CaptChip40]

 

[pkb]

Los Vatos

 

[Tony_agr]

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..

 

[Tony_agr]

That is the best international sign there is.. no mystery there.. thanks for that one

 

[BigWaveDave]

I googled Gangsta hand gestures... seems to be Westside.... or Waffle Time

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Heartburn.

 

[austin]

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...

 

[diggummup]

Calhoun wasn't a freemason or I would agree with that answer.

 

[Tedyoh]

Maybe going to the theater to see "Straight Outta Compton"

 

[Bramblefind]

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"

Chapter 1: the Hand of "El caballero de la mano al pecho"


https://books.google.com/books?id=-...allero de la mano al pecho" hand sign&f=false

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110102223433AAkx0uo