A gripping device has at least one tendon associated with a gripping arm and guided in a freely slidable manner along a first and second arm portion thereof through a succession of guiding elements. The guiding elements associated with a first proximal arm portion of the arms are carried by an inner yielding panel so that when the inner yielding panel on the inner side of the first proximal arm portion engages against an item or component to be gripped, the guiding elements of the tendon carried by the inner yielding panel cause a tensioning of the tendon, which results in an articulation and/or inflection movement of a second distal arm portion with respect to the first proximal arm portion.