Branding the Divine: Albrech Dürer's Praying Hands and the Branding of Iconography

In 1508, artist Albrech Dürer sketched a life-study of a pair of hands clasped in prayer. Over 500 years later, the Betende Hände can be found all over the United States in the form of knickknacks in private homes and civic statues, and online. The phenomenon is an interesting case study of popular religion, consumer culture, and the intersections of public and private worship. Using a blend of advertising and branding theory and iconographic theory, this paper proposes to illuminate the ways that the Praying Hands of Dürer became a lasting symbol of popular devotion across a wide range of media.