i68 FLORAL SYMBOLISM 



ignored by artists, who were discouraged prob- 

 ably by the insipid appearance of the flower when 

 deprived of its gold-dusted centre. In Italy it 

 was entirely neglected, but some painters of the 

 sixteenth century have placed a tiny flame in the 

 centre of each lily-cup ; a burning flame, accord- 

 ing to Vasari,' signifying eternal love. 



There seems to have been sometimes a doubt 

 in the minds of the Northern artists as to which 

 was really the Madonna's flower, the lilium 

 candidum or the iris, which so closely resembled 

 in form the golden liUes on the royal shields of 

 France and England. 



Memling, who had painted the fleur-de-lys 

 heraldically for the Duke of Burgundy,^ seemed 

 unable to decide, and in the vase of the Annun- 

 ciation,3 as well as in the vase which stands be- 

 side the enthroned Madonna,* he has placed an 

 iris among the white lilies. Or possibly, with a 

 deeper symbolism, taking the iris as the fleur- 

 de-lys, the ancient symbol of royalty, which, 

 with its three united petals, recalls also the 



' Lives of the Painters, Titian. 



'Diptych of Jeanne de Bourbon, Musee Conde, Chantilly. 



* Collection of Prince U. Radziwill, Berlin. 



* Royal Gallery, Berlin. 



