THE FLOWERS OF THE DIVINITY 195 



For the entry into Jerusalem there is the palm 

 of victory and the ohve branch of peace. In 

 the Ecce Homo He wears the Crown of Thorns, 

 and the reed as a sceptre is placed in His hand. 

 For the Crucifixion Signorelli painted below the 

 Cross many pleasant flowers, among which are 

 noticeable the violet and daisy. But the 

 Northern schools reserved for this scene the 

 bitter herbs and flowers, the willow, dandelion 

 and thistle. These weeds, carefully chosen and 

 painted with marvellous minuteness, fill the fore- 

 ground in the Crucifixion by an unnamed German 

 master in the National Gallery. 



In the last scenes of all of the divine tragedy 

 there is no symbol but the Crown of Thorns, 

 and to the Resurrection no flower is specially 

 dedicated. But in the Thomas Altar,' by the 

 Master of the Bartholomew Altar, the newly- 

 risen Christ is shown, and round His feet, upon 

 the marble step, are lying blossoms of violets and 

 daisies and seven heads of the holy columbine. 



The passion flower does not appear in art 

 before the seventeenth century. It was un- 

 known in Europe before the Spanish conquest 



' Wallraf Richartz Museum, Cologne. 



