St. Fina 1465

Benozzo Gozzoli depicted Saint Fina in this fresco in the church of Sant'Agostino, Italy. The bouquet of violets she holds are no mere decoration. These flowers sprouted miraculously around her deathbed, a symbol of purity and divine grace. The gesture of holding flowers transcends time; we see echoes of it in ancient Greek depictions of Persephone carrying blossoms from the underworld, a promise of rebirth. The violet, though delicate, carries a powerful emotional charge, engaging our subconscious. It resurfaces in countless contexts – from medieval tapestries to Victorian mourning jewelry – each time imbued with layers of cultural memory and emotional weight. The violet has evolved to become a complex symbol resonating with themes of grief, memory, and spiritual awakening.