82 . 
‘The Chinese used the peony a great deal, as is well illustrated 
by that handsome wooden pillow; but the chief motive exhibited 
in this case is the pomegranate. This tree is a native of Persia, 
and its shapely and brilliantly colored flowers and fruits early 
attracted the decorative artist. The fruit was reproduced in 
ancient Egyptian and Assyrian sculpture, as for example in the 
relief from a memorial temple of Rameses I at Abydos, where it 
is associated with grapes and other fruits. The so-called ‘pear 
motive’ is a pomegranate fruit elongated in shape. The seeds 
were symbolic of eternal life. In the chalice, two plant motives 
were used, the top representing a cluster of foxglove flowers and 
Jeaves. What could be finer than that strip of Spanish brocade 
with its rich colors and superb pomegranate designs!”’ 
CASE 7 
PLANTS: Two growing plants of English ivy and a vase of Ophelia roses. 
ART Osjects: Chinese plate with wild roses, Asia Minor bowl with rose and cypress- 
almond motives, sepulchral vase of the third century B. C. with ivy ornamen- 
tation, and many others. 
“Here again, in this wonderful bowl, we find the cypress- 
almond motive alternating with the peculiar rose which you have 
learned by this time to associate with Asia Minor and Persian 
designs. The buds and leaves of the rose are quite naturalis- 
tically treated. 
“In this plate, one of the very finest pieces in the collection, 
the cypress and almond trees are kept distinct. This interesting 
sampler, with its puritanical maxim, would be more artistic if 
the rosebuds in the border were not quite so large. In the Coptic 
textile over the case, the rose is reduced to four petals—a very 
easy thing for the decorative artist to do—as is seen in some 
French designs. The motive used in the prayer rug near the 
door is said by some to be the rose, by others to be the pome- 
granate.”’ 
THE CENTRAL CASES 
PLants: Marguerite, English daisy, papyrus, living leaves of the true laurel: 
edelweiss, acorns, oak leaves, and, on the screen, olive leaves and flowers. 
ART Opjects: Greek vases with laurel, clive. and palmette designs; Minoan jug 
and ornaments with daisies; laces with rose, lily, forget-me-not. pomegranate, 
carnation, sunflower, anemone, edelweiss, oak, daisy, and cherry designs; 
various other objects. 
