Final answer:
The left hand in religious and historical iconography often carries significant meaning, from depicting the fate of souls in the afterlife to symbolizing tenderness, authority, or impatience depending on the context and the figure represented within the artwork.
Step-by-step explanation:
In iconography, the left hand often conveys symbolism that is paramount to interpreting a work's meaning. For instance, Christ as Judge in the Crime of Ages is depicted enthroned, wielding significant gestures with both hands—his right hand points upward to the saved, while his left hand gestures downward to the dam ned. This portrayal serves not just as an artistic choice, but as a didactic tool to deliver a religious message to the faithful about eternal consequences.
Similarly, in another work of art, gestures are employed to communicate relationships or statuses, such as when the Child touches his Mother's chin, signifying tenderness, a motif that gained popularity in the fifteenth century. In yet another scene, a tax collector's left hand is open, conveying impatience and demand, which contrasts with the traditional representation of giving or holding something of significance, such as Louis holding a small gold disc in his left hand, symbolizing his authority and role in the coronation ritual.