Milan 1880 on the Table

: This painting is about International Congress on the Education of the Deaf (ICED) in Milan, Italy, 1880, when sign language was proclaimed banned and oralism became the law in Deaf schools. See Milan 1880 resolutions.
The hands are chopped off and laid on the table for display. The hands represent the six Americans who came to Milan Congress in 1880. They are James Denison, Edward Miner Gallaudet, Thomas Gallaudet, Jr., Isaac Lewis Peet and Charles Stoddard. The hands symbolize “N” for NO to Eugenics,
“A S L” for American Sign Language, “Incompatible,” and “Express.”
These are expression in sign language to show emotions that the six Americans went through when oralism became law.
There is a hidden giant elephant that represents Alexander Graham Bell and his associates, meaning the Elephant in the Deaf Room. The steps to the door on the upper right corner represent the stairway to Oralism.