Introduction
Purpose and Methodology
Literature Review
Bibliography
Chapter 1: Summer
The Tree in Full Leaf as a Symbol of Fertility
Three Symbolic Tree Forms in Christian Art
- The Tree of Life
- The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil
- The Tree of Jesse and the Genealogy of Christ
Scriptural References to Tree Species and Related Colloquial Nomenclature
Mature Trees in Biblical and Apocryphal Narrative Art
Greenery and Fledged Trees in the Sacra Conversazione
The Foliate Crucifix in Dreams, Meditations, and Visions
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 2: Autumn
Allegories within Seasonal Series
Human Intervention
- Harvesting Figs and Acorns from Trees
- Climbing Trees and Bending Branches
- Felled and Fallen Trees in Hagiography
Trees in Storms
- Noah and the Flood
- Windblown Trees in Hagiography
Wood Fires and Tinder Burning
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 3: Winter
Dormancy, Sticks, and Bark
Stumps, Wood, and Dry Branches
Wilderness, Roots, and Trunks with Severed Branches in Hagiography
- Focus on Saint Sebastian
- Focus on Saint Acacius
Evergreens: Palms and Conifers
Citrus Trees and Fruit
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 4: Spring
The Parable of the Sower
The Raising of Lazarus
Agony in the Garden
The Crucifixion
The Resurrection
Noli me tangere
The Ascension
The Legend of the True Cross
The Flowering Tree in Hagiography
Carvings in Wood and Amber
Conclusion
Biography
Katherine T. Brown is Professor of Art History at Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio.
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