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Notes

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Here the Virgin and Child stand in a classical building, or temple, and she holds a book, possibly alluding to the Roman Missal (1472) which contained the feast day of her presentation to the temple. The large split pomegranate on the plinth, with its hard case and a multitude of blood-red seeds, refers to Christ's passion and resurrection and unity of faith. Its presence became popular in fifteenth-century Florentine painting. Its symbolism of immortality or regeneration is related to the mythological story of Proserpine, daughter of the corn-goddess Ceres, who was abducted to the Underworld by Pluto. However, after she had eaten some pomegranate seeds, he allowed her to return to earth for part of the year; this was in the spring, so plants blossomed.