THE COLUMBINE 109 



flower in the ' Madonna with the Child and SS. 

 Peter and James,' ' commissioned in 1492. After 

 the fifteenth century it is fairly frequent in 

 Itahan art. Two of the most charming of the 

 Madonna pictures now in the Brera, ' The Virgin 

 and Child with the Lamb,' by Sodoma, and 

 * The Virgin of the Rose-hedge,' by Luini, both 

 introduce the columbine. But the Italian artists 

 use it vaguely, as the flower of the dove, the 

 flower in some degree sacred to the Holy Ghost, 

 and lost sight of the original connection with 

 the seven Gifts of the Spirit. Luini, who is 

 careless with his symbolism, though painting 

 flowers exquisitely, uses the columbine also as 

 an accessory in the famous portrait known 

 as * La Colombina,' ^ but here, of course, it is 

 simply a graceful flower in the hand of a fine 

 woman. 



It is most unusual to find any flower used 

 symbolically in scenes representing the Passion 

 of our Lord. Should plants or shrubs be there, 

 it is merely as an indication that the place of 

 Crucifixion was beyond the walls, and that the 

 place of burial was a garden. They have no 



' UflSzi Gallery. ' St Petersburg. 



