The Strawberry: Naughty or Nice?
Medieval people believed the strawberry to stand for noble thought and modesty. Though conspicuous by its color and fragrance, it bows humbly to the earth. Strawberries are used as symbols in illuminated manuscripts since the three-partitioned leaf is a reminder of the Holy Trinity. The fruits, pointing downward, are the drops of blood of Christ, and the five petals of its white flower, his five Wounds.
Thus, it has become a symbol of perfection and righteousness. There is one exception to the strawberry as a positive symbol and that is its depiction in Hieronymus Bosch's strange, complicated triptych, The Garden of Earthly Delights. The painter depicts the strawberry as a sign of sexual voluptuousness, clearly not an expression of the innocent medieval artistic spirit but a sensuous, earthy symbol that lived in Bosch's surreal imagination.
Whether you view it as naughty or nice, the strawberry remains a fascinating plant, beautiful flower and delicious fruit.
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