Day 21 - Pomegranate

Today is Day 21 of the 30 in 30 Day Challenge!

For today's entry I painted a pomegranate.  I love the rich red in this fruit...but I don't eat them...

"Pomegranate"

6 x 6 - oil on canvas panel

Interesting Wikipedia facts on the pomegranate:

• In preliminary laboratory research and clinical trials, juice of the pomegranate may be effective in reducing heart disease.

• In a limited study of hypertensive patients, consumption of pomegranate juice for two weeks was shown to reduce systolic blood pressure by inhibiting serum angiotensin-converting enzyme. Juice consumption may also inhibit viral infections while pomegranate extracts have antibacterial effects against dental plaque.

• Ancient Egyptians regarded the pomegranate as a symbol of prosperity and ambition. According to the Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical writings from around 1500 BC, Egyptians used the pomegranate for treatment of tapeworm and other infections.

• In the Ancient Greek mythology, the pomegranate was also known as the "fruit of the dead".

• Pomegranates continue to be a motif often found in Christian religious decoration. They are often woven into the fabric of vestments and liturgical hangings or in metalwork. Pomegranates figure in many religious paintings by the likes of Sandro Botticelli and Leonardo da Vinci, often in the hands of the Virgin Mary or the infant Jesus. The fruit, broken or bursting open, is a symbol of the fullness of Jesus' suffering and resurrection.

• In China, pictures of the ripe fruit with the seeds bursting forth were often hung in homes to bestow fertility and bless the dwelling with numerous offspring, an important facet of traditional Chinese culture.