Different meaning and expression styles of the image of the hand in painting

It has been aimed to clarify how the hands; being one of the limbs we use actively in our daily lives take part in the art of painting, do they affect content and form. Also it is aimed to research its meaning and their expression possibilities. In the name of pursuing this goal, under the first section, the anatomical structure of the hand, the function of bones, muscles,veins and the skin has been stated. The role of the hand in the process of human evolution and changes in the states of evolution and the ability of its motion has been researched. Furthermore, important hand gestures in communition and body language are also explained with its gained meaning. Under the second section, different definitions of the concept of symbol and image took place, the different and common point between symbol and image tried to be explained. Uses of hand as a symbol has been inspected with examples and it is aimed to clarify the differences between image and symbol. Under the third section, different meaning and expressions of the image of the hand in the art of painting collected gathered under conceptual titles and examined via examples from the history of painting. These titles are ; The handprints, why and how of their technique from primitive cultures are disclosed in the Caves period via the knowledge gained trough research. The symbolical expression of divine power, statuettes of gods-goddesses, depictions of mythological gods and how the image of hand supports the manner of telling which the celestial religions use as a metaphor for creation, examined with examples. Paintings which fueled the creation the social order with the dogmas of the religion and the role of the image of hand in those paintings has been researched. The spreading of humanism with Renaissance, forthcoming of the mind and the art of painting which thrived via scientific advances, developments and their reflections with the advancement of anatomical studies on the hand took place with examples. The importance of the hands in production and their contributions to the meaning researched via inspecting examples from the artists who concentrate on production and people and their works on labor. One of the important functions of the hand such as hide/cover and show/point was used in the art of painting as an image which strengtens expression and how was explained with examples. In experimenrtal applications which fall out ot the traditional methods, the how of the artists who benefited from the strenght of expression of hand in order to transfer different ideas was researched.