PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
The pomegranate used in Sandro Boticelli's Madonna of the Pomegranate can further be connected to the Virgin Mary when analyzed through a psychological perspective. With its vibrant red color, abundance of seeds, and sweet juices, it is clear that the pomegranate fruit is also a symbol for fertility.
Pomegranates are one of the "earliest cultivated fruits, tracing back as far as 3000 BC" with some believing that the "forbidden fruit" picked by Eve of the Bible was not an apple, but a pomegranate fruit (Wolf, B., 2006). Not only does the pomegranate fruit have its roots in biblical stories and paintings, but in greek mythology as well as it was believed that the "pomegranate tree was first planted by the greek goddess Aphrodite" (Avey, 2014). Persephone, daughter of harvest goddess Demeter, is also involved with this fruit, as her "taste for the pomegranate caused her to spend time in the underworld" (Wolf, 2006). The pomegranate fruit featured in many works of art and literature is consistently portrayed along the side of distinctive female figures.
In this modern age, pomegranates are still widely sought after by many people for the same symbolic values of health, fertility, and rebirth. To certain groups of individuals, the pomegranate fruit is also known as an aphrodisiac, "a food or drink that increases sexual appetite" (Bartolini, 2015). This term derives from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, passion, and beauty. Throughout history, many different foods have been labeled as an aphrodisiac at one point. According to psychologist Abraham Maslow in his Theory of Human Motivation (1943), humans need to satisfy their "basic physiological needs (air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep)" before being able to meet higher level growth needs (p. 372). The connection between food and sex is evident as they are both primal needs that elicit pleasure and satisfaction as met by human beings throughout history. Certain foods contain unique shapes and colors that evokes feelings of arousal while other foods contain original properties that stimulate pleasure centers in the brain (Avey, 2014).
According to Paul Rozin's 1999 article "Food is Fundamental, Fun, and Far Reaching", the food one consumes has a great influence on the "transfer of both the physical and behavioral properties on the consumer" as portrayed by the popular phrase, 'You are what you eat' (p. 4). Using the concept portrayed by the "Doctrine of Signatures" developed during the Renaissance period that explains how foods look like the body part they are meant to heal, (Ross, 2015), the pomegranate is eaten for the purpose of fertility due to its "seed-laden appearance of its flesh" (Malaguzzi, 2015, p. 241). A study conducted by Kılıçgün, Arda, and Uçar found that pomegranates had the potential to be used as supplement to enhance "longevity, fertility, and growth-promoting properties" (2015). Many people choose to consume this fruit for its overall health benefits to improve one's quality of life. Jeffrey Traister, a writer who also holds a Master of Science in human nutrition and medicine, discusses how the levels of antioxidants found in pomegranate juice are so high, they are "more potent in improving antioxidant function than other fruit" (2013). Traister goes on to explain how pomegranates also reduce a person's risk of heart disease as well as reduce high levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood. It is clear to see how many people choose to consume pomegranates for the natural yet healthy benefits it gives to one's body.
According to Paul Rozin's 1999 article "Food is Fundamental, Fun, and Far Reaching", the food one consumes has a great influence on the "transfer of both the physical and behavioral properties on the consumer" as portrayed by the popular phrase, 'You are what you eat' (p. 4). Using the concept portrayed by the "Doctrine of Signatures" developed during the Renaissance period that explains how foods look like the body part they are meant to heal, (Ross, 2015), the pomegranate is eaten for the purpose of fertility due to its "seed-laden appearance of its flesh" (Malaguzzi, 2015, p. 241). A study conducted by Kılıçgün, Arda, and Uçar found that pomegranates had the potential to be used as supplement to enhance "longevity, fertility, and growth-promoting properties" (2015). Many people choose to consume this fruit for its overall health benefits to improve one's quality of life. Jeffrey Traister, a writer who also holds a Master of Science in human nutrition and medicine, discusses how the levels of antioxidants found in pomegranate juice are so high, they are "more potent in improving antioxidant function than other fruit" (2013). Traister goes on to explain how pomegranates also reduce a person's risk of heart disease as well as reduce high levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood. It is clear to see how many people choose to consume pomegranates for the natural yet healthy benefits it gives to one's body.
Pomegranate's symbolism of health, fertility, and rebirth allows us to better understand its connection with the Virgin Mary and how God specifically chose Mary's fertile womb and loving nature as a mother to support His one and only Son. In the Christian religion, Jesus' death and resurrection sends a powerful message that promises His followers will do the same and join him along with God in eternal life in heaven. The pomegranate is a symbol of life and death but ultimately, rebirth. The story of Persephone, for example, depicts the symbolization of the pomegranate as a concept of rebirth after death. Persephone, the daughter of the Earth goddess Demeter, was abducted by Pluto, the ruler of the underworld and afterlife. While Persephone was in the underworld, she had eaten a pomegranate fruit, rendering her trapped in the underworld. Demeter, her mother, had left Earth to look for Persephone and urged her to come back. An agreement ultimately formed where Persephone would live in both Earth with her mother as well as the Underworld with her husband, Pluto. During her stay in the underworld, Demeter would mourn and the entire Earth would be barren and cold (which is known now as winter time). Afterward, Persephone would come back to live on Earth, and her mother would rejoice and be happy; as the goddess of the harvest, she would bless the land and plants and crops would thrive (which is known as spring time.) Without seasons, there is no change to help distinguish between the days and life would be boring and stagnant. With seasons, however, there is rejuvenation and rebirth. The story of Perspehone and Jesus have similar themes in which it portrays the importance of hope: there is always going to be life after death because life is always going to be in in constant motion.