If you’ve ever been to Florence and walked around the city enjoying architectural masterpieces, you have no doubt spent time appreciating the gorgeous green and white marble exterior of the church of Santa Maria Novella.

I was meeting a friend recently and we agreed to rendezvous in front of the center door of the church. I got there early and had time to study the high-quality marble carving of the panels to either side of the main door.

These white marble panels were clearly carved by a master sculptor, for the quality of the carving is very high.  A variety of leaf types are depicted in the stone, as well as many recognizable fruits and even some vegetables. The background of each grouping of edible plant parts is a grouping of fasces, tied with a ribbon to create the bundle of rods, a symbol utilized in the Roman empire and reused ever since.

In the grouping above you can clearly see oak leaves, plums, and apples.

The relief above looks like laurel leaves are depicted as well as what look like potatoes.  Potatoes?  I’m not sure.

I think the fruits above might be peaches?

 

In this picture, I think I see acorns, oak leaves, and apples. Perhaps those are poppy heads at the top?

This picture seems to include grapes.

I hope you will tell me what you see.  I’m sure I’ve missed many things!