The Powerful Hand
The Powerful Hand

The theme of la Mano Poderosa alludes to an image from an unidentified story. This image is not uncommon in retablos and may be related to la Vendimia Mística, the Mystic Vintage, since there occasionally are lambs depicted at the bottom of the painting to whom the blood from the hand flows rather than to a chalice.

Lilies growing from or resting above the fingers symbolize purity. The figures on the lilies or on the fingers at the tips are the Holy Family members, Mary, Jesus and Joseph, and Mary's parents Anne and Joachim. This is one of the two known themes that show these five figures together.