Antique Brocaded Bible/Document Cover, Bolivia (2036A-MAE) $185

Description

This antique brocaded bible or document holder from Bolivia is decorated with symbolic stylized flowers widely used in Christianity: passion flowers and roses. Nicolas Monardes, a 16th century Spanish doctor was one of the first Europeans to see a passion flower which is native to South America, who found 22 species and brought them back to Spain. The flower’s many parts became a symbol to explain aspects of Christ’s crucifixion: its tendrils symbolize his whiplash marks; its center column represents the whip the Romans used; its 72 filaments symbolize his crown of thorns, and other parts of the flower signify the 3 nails used and Jesus’s five wounds. White and red roses represent prayer rosaries as well as Jesus’ purity and his blood respectively. As Jesus alluded to the beauty of flowers in his famous Sermon on the Mount and flowers are everywhere in the world and easily understood, they have become common iconic representations. This is part of the VA Collection of Christian-Art.