Tree

Type Subject
Date 1469-1471

Artist

Lorenzo da Origgio, Giacomo da Torre, Giacomo del Maino

Media

Carved walnut wood, inlaid and painted

Location

Milan, Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio

Notes

The tree is in bloom. The nine flowers are large and fleshy. However, at the moment it is not possible to identify the species of the tree.

Not even by comparing the tree with the images contained in various manuscripts of the Tacuina sanitatis, at the moment, it is possible to advance an identification.

The tree cannot be identified as a dahlia, as suggested by the Catalogo Generale dei Beni Culturali, since dahlias are plants native to Mexico and were introduced into Europe only in 1789.

As has already been suggested, it might represent a rose plant or a daisy plant, with the latter appearing more likely. However, the depiction is poorly naturalistic, which currently prevents a definitive identification. For example, identifying the tree with a daisy plant is also not valid, as daisies are not trees.

Inventory