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THE TREE OF LIFE. State Hermitage Museum

Once again, we find the Tree of Life used as a symbol in popular Serrano embroidery. In this case, it as part of a border that accompanies a frontal composition embroidered in black, where we can also find a number of seldomly depicted animals, such as owls and ducks.

When the Tree of Life is shown alongside night creatures, it may be a symbol of inner wisdom and the intuitive capacity to generate life, especially complemented by the presence of geese, symbolic messengers of Heaven and Earth. These creatures reinforce the symbolism of the Tree of Life’s connection with the celestial and earthly dimensions.

This piece is part of the collection of embroidered cloths from the Sierra de Francia displayed in the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia.