Annabel Armstrong - decorative painting
Pomegranate treePomegranate close-upSwallow & quinceLemon tree
Villa Livia
The mural in this dining room was inspired by the frescoes in the Villa Livia in ancient Rome. The original frescoes depict an exuberant garden in which all the plants and trees, including young pomegranate and quince trees, are in flower and bear fruit at the same time.

Each plant held a special meaning for the ancient Romans. For example, the laurel, which is omnipresent in the original frescoes, was the symbol of victory (and gave us today's expression "resting on one's laurels").

Early Christianity adopted many of these symbols, often slightly changing the meaning to fit more closely with Catholic thought. For example, the laurel came to symbolize the triumph of Christ through the resurrection.

The mural in this dining room includes many plants from the original frescoes, drawing on the symbolism of the past and connecting it in a meaningful way to this particular present-day client.
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