White Rose of York actual symbolism behind the rose has religious connotations as it represents the Virgin Mary, who is often called the "Mystical Rose of Heaven". The Yorkist rose is white in colour, because in Christian liturgical symbolism, white is the symbol of light, typifying innocence and purity, joy and glory. During the civil wars of the fifteenth century, the White Rose was the symbol of Yorkist forces opposed to the rival House of Lancaster. The red rose of Lancaster would be a later invention used to represent the House of Lancaster, but was not in use during the actual conflict. The opposition
Madonna of the Rose Garden Madonna of the Rose Garden The Madonna of the Rose Garden (Italian: "Madonna del Roseto") is an International Gothic painting attributed to Michelino da Besozzo or Stefano da Verona. Dating to c. 1420–1435, it is currently housed in the Castelvecchio Museum in Verona, northern Italy. The tempera on panel painting shows the traditional theme of the Madonna with Child within an enclosure of roses, a "hortus conclusus", symbol of her virginity, in the presence of St. Catherine of Alexandria. The latter, as a princess, is crowned, and is accompanied by her martyrdom attribute of the torture wheel. There are also