122 FLORAL SYMBOLISM 



times found beside her refer to the verse which 

 compares her to 



' A fair olive tree in a pleasant field.' ^ 

 Botticelli painted a beautiful ' Madonna of the 

 Olives ' for the Church of S. Spirito. Vasari 

 writes of it: * In S. Spirito in Florence he has 

 painted a picture for the Chapel of the Bardi 

 which is carefully executed and well finished, 

 where there are some olives and palms painted 

 with great love.' ^ In another picture by Botti. 

 ceUi 3 angels hold above the Virgin's head a 

 lightly-framed crown of gold which is decorated 

 with fresh sprays of lily, palm and olive. 



The most popular of modern Italian repre- 

 sentations of the Virgin and Child is very justly 

 that painted by Niccolo Barabino * and entitled 

 * Quasi Oliva Speciosa in Campis.' Large 

 branches of olive, painted also * with great love,' 

 are placed about the feet of the sweet-faced 

 Mother, who peeps through her heavy white 

 veil, and they almost hide the fruit of tempta- 

 tion which lies on the ground beneath. 



^ Ecclesiasticus xxiv. 14. 

 ' Lives of the Painters. 

 ' Corsini Gallery, Florence. 

 * Monza. 



I 



