Praying Hands, after Durer

A photograph of a sketch by Aisling Christian, when aged 15.

Betende Hände, in English Praying hands (also known as Studie zu den Händen eines Apostels in German, or "Study of the Hands of an Apostle" is a pen-and-ink drawing by the German printmaker, painter and theorist Albrecht Dürer, executed circa 1508. The artwork is stored at Albertina museum — Graphische Sammlung in Vienna, Austria. Dürer used white heightening technique and black ink on (self-made) blue colored paper. The drawing shows two male hands palm to palm praying, the body to the right (not seen). Also, the partly up-folded sleeves of the prayer are seen.
The drawing is a sketch (study) for an apostles' hand who was planned to be in the center panel of the triptych for the Heller altar, which was destroyed by a fire in 1729. The hand sketch appears on the triptych in the inside center panel on the right in similarity, although in smaller size. On the same paper is a sketch of the apostle's head, but the sheet has been divided from it. Overall, Dürer made 18 sketches for the altarpiece.
The first public recognition of the artwork was in 1871 when it was exhibited in Vienna.
The image depicts probably the master's own hands.