A wreathe of Sempervivum

http://www.tarot-history.com/Jean-Noblet/pages/le-monde.html

This as you can tell is the Noblet and I am interested in the wreathe around the central figure.
I have been investigating for sometime- the Velvet and silk patterns from Milan.
Three patterns are paramount- they are the Quince, the Monticelli or Artichoke and the Sempervivum or House Leek/Hen and Chicks.
Usually for wreathes, you have in Italy- Laurel, Olive and mixed evergreens- sometimes wheat. Oak is most recognised in England and France.

Probably produced in Milan in the late 15th or early 16th century, this velvet has a pattern that can be identified as the sempervivum tectorum, a perennial plant that thrives in barren and mountainous places. Francesco Sforza (1401-66) adopted it as his heraldic device along with the motto Mit Zeit (with time). He may have been referring to his endurance and perseverance in obtaining his political position. During his reign (1450-66) the plant was represented only by the large central flower, isolated from stems and leaves and repeated across the width of the fabric three times. The motif evolved over the following twenty years into a more naturalistic version, such as is seen on this velvet.
This pattern on an even richer, gold brocaded velvet is represented on the stomacher and sleeve of a gown worn by Bianca Maria Sforza in a potrait by De Predis. This portrait was made to commemorate her marriage to Maximilian of Austria in 1493. In this context, the pattern probably referred directly to the dynasty from which she came.

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here is the Wikipedia article on Sempervivum and the picture on the right of the article- convinces me that the wreathe around the World card is Sempervivum- the Sforza device.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sempervivum

On the Visconti Sforza cards- the Sempervivum is finely etched in gold on the grass where it appears on the cards. The clearest is on the Lovers card for example.
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/theheartindifferentkeys/sets/72157605988175130/
The Motto mentioned above 'Mit Zeit'- in time- is commonly seen with the Artichoke around Milan.The Artichoke is considered in emblematic terms an 'evergreen'
“Mit Zeit”, col tempo - ammonisce il motto – sarà possibile vedere quali frutti darà l’operato di Francesco ed esprimere un giudizio.
(Mit Zeit- In Time- you can see what fruits will give the work of Francesco and Judge.)

Here is the emblem from the emblem book by Georgette de Monteray
http://www.emblems.arts.gla.ac.uk/french/emblem.php?id=FMOa009
Basically the words say that without Faith good works are dead.

It is interesting to me, that the Noblet and other Tdm-ish cards have a Sforza device.
The Cary-Yale handpainted cards do not show the Sempervivum at all- only the PMB.

I think this gives another view of what the cards mean and I would be interested in other peoples view. In looking at Islamic florals- the sempervivum also appears.

~Rosanne

When you see Sempervivum as a device you would accept James 2:20...
But do you want to know, O senseless Man, how Faith without works is Useless.

So it would seem to me, the senseless man, is us the Fool.
So looking at the four apostles in the New Testament(which at the time was the 'go to' authority) what can you find? All four Apostles speak in different ways the following...
But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works
No one can see what another believes, except by what they do.

So for the 15th century all peoples of the Book (ie. Not only Christian) said by their works you would know what their belief was- or their Faith.
In Tarot you have the concept of time in many ways, clearly in two cards the Wheel and the Hermit. Subtly in Astrological ways of Time also- for example if you looked at Cups as Pleiades.
I am concerned why the wreathe around the World figure says "my faith is shown by the works I do/have done" and what that means.
~Rosanne

Hullo Rosanne.

Wreaths like this appear in other 15th century prints, but they're usually interpreted as laurel.
The laurel is the traditional wreath for victory, triumph, poetry, and fame.
Quite appropriate for the highest trump.

So if it also looks like the popular and more commonly used laurel,
how do you arrive at Hens and Chicks?

I think if it was intended to be (what I take as the far lesser-known symbolic meaning) sempervivum, the artist would have had to have been far more clear and specific in his depiction. He would have had to make a deliberate effort to distinguish it from laurel.

On the other hand, I do think the "Always" (semper) "Living" (vivum) is quite a nice point that is well in keeping with a straight Christian interpretation, so maybe there is something to that.

I think you might like to look at "Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees" by Ernst and Johanna Lehner. It's kind of brief and to-the-point, but it's a step up from general symbol dictionaries. (And it includes quite a few early illustrations.)

OnePotato said:

So if it also looks like the popular and more commonly used laurel,
how do you arrive at Hens and Chicks?

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Hi OnePotato!
I am not a subsciber so I cannot scan images from my books.(nor do I have a scanner anymore)
The fabric from Milan shows the wreathe exactly as on the Noblet, with a Quince or a Pomegranate (which indicates for the Church) in the center. The expert on Fabric says it is Sempervivum and has been long associated wit the Sforza Dynasty. It is different from the Laurel as it is broken with the Leaves tied in several places, and has made a deliberate effort to distinguish it from a Laurel leaf wreathe. Have a look at the Emblem from Georgette de Monteray which uses Sempervivum that I linked. This of course brings to mind your point..

On the other hand, I do think the "Always" (semper) "Living" (vivum) is quite a nice point that is well in keeping with a straight Christian interpretation, so maybe there is something to that.

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Here is a typical Laurel Leaf wreath.
http://vintagefeedsacks.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/vintage-laurel-wreath.html
Here is a later fabric than I have photos of.
http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/120045248
I disagree that Sempervivum was less common than the Laurel- it was grown on window ledges and of course on roofs to combat lightening and thunder. It was used as a love charm in Northern Italy and often depicted on fabric of bridal wear.

Thank you for the suggestion of reading material- I will look at it.
~Rosanne

The book I mentioned illustrates a "Victory Symbol" in woodcut published by Aldus Manutius in Venice, 1499.
It includes a wreath that is tied at four points just like Noblet. (It doesn't include the extra "bunches" at the ties, though.)
It's included in the book as an example of a laurel wreath.
(As of last week, I can't post photos here anymore either.)

The later fabric example you linked to shows the plant itself, with the stalk & the flower.
This is the sort of "specifics" I would want to see the artist include in order to distinguish his wreath from the more common laurel wreath.

(When I said, "more common", I meant the symbolism/use of laurel in a wreath, not the plants themselves.)

Obviously, you have an interesting idea going, but I think I'd like to see more examples of sempervivum wreaths before I'd buy any sort of positive identification, and I certainly wouldn't go so far as to even begin to link a TdM World Card wreath to the Sforzas through use of that plant until I'd seen more. (Hint- If you want to pursue that, you should be poking at the World Card from the Sforza Castle Well.)

More Appropriately.. 'Sempervivum' ?????

Thanks Onepotato!
I will look for the points you mention.
Thanks for the hint- but in Kaplan it says those cards were 16th or 17th, so I did not include that world card- aside from linking another forum- which I do not think allowed?
I must say I had forgotton how nice it is not to be dismisssed as 'stupid and innane' for presenting outside someones else's rigidity- but I should remember to be more exacting when presenting an idea. That surely does not take the enthusiasm and fun for Tarot history away. It does not have to be a dry ol' subject that precludes other uses of Tarot.
Onwards to find examples aside from fabric......
~Rosanne

http://www.sil.si.edu/digitalcollections/herbals/HerbalsEnlarge.cfm?id=14061

While await books from the library I thought I would add to the lore of this plant shown on the site above.
( a too expensive book called ‘The garden of the Renaissance-Botanical Symbolism in Italian Painting’ by Mirella Levi D’Ancona for one )

Cornell University published an article/booklet by Mr and Mrs PE Gm>ley called “Tuscan Feasts and Tuscan Friends.

The same writer who tells us of this superstition related also the quaint practise of Tuscan mothers, of giving a decoction of Houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) to children on the first Friday after Birth, as this is supposed to ward off convulsions and ensure a long life.

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Geoffrey Grigson compiled a list of herbs and uses based on the research by Arnold Van Genner, that Saint Jean? used in Midsummer rites in France, in medieval times.

NB. Midsummer = Birth of John the Baptist, 6 months before Midwinter Mass Celebrating the Birth of Christ. (the Medieval Calendar archives of the Medieval Garden)
Houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum)
Mugwort (Artemis vulgaris)
St Johns Wort ( Hyperricium millefolium)
Yarrow (Archillia mille folium)
Vervain (Verbena officnalis)

The Herbs were gathered when the morning dew was still on them, as this increased their power- then made into garlands and passed through the midsummer bonfire; thus fortified were used as agents of blessing and protection- hung above household and farm building doorways.

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From the Latin versed “ The Popish Kingdom or Reign of the Antichrist “ by Naogeorgus - in Enlish 1570.
Then doth the joyful feast of John the Baptist take his turn,
When bonfires great with loftie flame in every towne doe burn,
And young men around with maides, doe dance in every street
With garlands wrought of motherwort…….

In Domus San Rocchino in Brescia there is a Roman Mosaic- that apparently has a Sempervivum wreath.
I cannot recognise it however- because the look like Olive/Laurel etc etc and I cannot find the one with the Sempervivum title. I will keep looking, in the books from the library.

~Rosanne

On the other hand, I am happy to post images if you send them to me by e-mail