Heartfelt Love

Inscription: I LOVE YOU WITH SO MUCH OF MY HEART

The Silphium plant has a heart-shaped seed which was used as a condiment and medicine linking the plant to sexuality and love. This representation was found on coins from ancient Libya. The heart as a symbol of love can be traced to Roman de la Poire, a 13th c. French manuscript, illustrated by a kneeling man handing a lady his heart. The quote is from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. In Act 4 Scene 1, Beatrice says to Benedict ‘I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest’.

Fixing Points: the hole at the top of the tile
Dimensions: 10cm x 9.6cm