Decorative border panel with a candelabra ornamented with foliate designs, from Life of the Virgin and Christ 1490 - 1500

This delicate border panel, made by Francesco Rosselli around the late 15th century, presents a candelabra adorned with foliage. These flourishing leaves are not mere decoration, but rather symbols deeply rooted in the Renaissance’s revival of classical antiquity and its symbolic vocabulary. Such candelabras, embellished with acanthus leaves, evoke the opulence of ancient Roman villas, recalling a golden age of artistic and intellectual enlightenment. These motifs transcend mere aesthetics, mirroring a yearning for a return to the glory of classical civilization. Foliage, often seen in ancient Roman art and architecture, signifies growth, renewal, and the cyclical nature of life. We see similar motifs in the borders of illuminated manuscripts, and even in the architectural details of churches and palaces. The persistence of these images speaks to their enduring symbolic power, each reiteration adding a new layer to the collective memory. Like a recurring dream, this imagery resurfaces, embodying the human desire for beauty, order, and a connection to the past.