![]() ![]() Thus, as a symbol of perfection and righteousness, medieval stone masons carved strawberry designs on altars and around the tops of pillars in churches and cathedrals. In this way, he continues, the strawberry reminds us of the virtuous man, who is not influenced by the malice of sin that surrounds him. "In tilling our gardens we cannot but admire the fresh innocence and purity of the strawberry, because although it creeps along the ground, and is continually crushed by serpents, lizards and other venomous reptiles, yet it does not imbibe the slightest impression of poison or the smallest malignant quality, a true sign that it has no affinity with poison. Francis de Sales, who considered that virtue is represented in nature, speaks of the righteous and incorruptible nature of the strawberry, untouched by any poison around it: The fruits, pointing downward, are the drops of Blood of Christ, and the five petals of its white flower, His five Wounds. Its three-partitioned leaf is a reminder of the Holy Trinity. ![]() Symbol-Fibel tells us, medieval man believed the strawberry to be a cure for depressive illnesses thus, its presence suggests the healing powers of Christ that lead us to eternal salvation.įurther, it stands "for noble thought and modesty, for although it is conspicuous by its color and fragrance, it nevertheless bows humbly to the earth." (Darrow, p. Michael vanquishing the devilīy the 1300s, it is common to find strawberries pictured in Italian, Flemish and German art as well as in English miniatures as a symbol of perfect righteousness. Strawberries adorn scenes of the Pentecost and St. This probably derives from a passage in Ovid ( Metamorphoses), who says that in the Golden Age the earth spontaneously provided fruit for man to enjoy, and names the strawberry as one of these salubrious delights. Quite early in medieval art and lore we find the strawberry plant of the Earthly Paradise. Strawberries represent the good fruits of the righteous man Darrow, I found everything I needed to confirm my hunch that, indeed, in Catholic tradition, the strawberry was never considered a voluptuous or evil fruit, but rather something quite innocent and good. ![]() In a 450-page book titled quite simply The Strawberry (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1966) by renowned horticulturalist George M. To save the reputation of the strawberry – which charmingly decorates the pages of many medieval manuscripts – I searched for the symbolism it had for the man of the Middle Ages. ![]() In fact, Bosch's works are better described as a prefigure of the hideous world of today's modern art. Painted in the early 16 th century, it is certainly not medieval, but reflects the corrupted mentality of certain European areas that generated Protestantism. This explanation derives not from medieval lore, but from an article about the strange strawberries in Hieronymus Bosch's panel, The Garden of Earthly Delights, known for its eerie, occult tone.īosch' strange occult depictions of the strawberry I was surprised recently when a friend told me that the medievals considered the strawberry a symbol of sexual temptation because of its many seeds and its ephemeral odor that is hardly remembered after passing – reflecting the transient nature of earthly pleasures. The rose represented majesty and purity the carnation, besides its natural distinction, also symbolized the nails of the Crucifixion because of the shape of its calyx the lion represented royalty and courage. Others developed gradually in the Catholic medieval ambiences that referred everything of Creation back to the Creator, seeking to find His mark and the meaning imprinted on every rock, flower, tree and animal. Certain symbols originated in Scripture like the Cross fish and the thorn were carried on through Catholic tradition. There is ample evidence that medieval art is permeated with symbolism and that every object had its own particular significance. The strawberry decorates an illuminated manuscript ![]()
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