Blas de Ledesma uses intense contrasts of light and dark to dramatize this still life. The fruits and flowers are symbolic references to the Virgin Mary: the blue iris symbolizes her immaculate conception and her eventual grief; the yellow lupin stands for modesty; and the cherries represent sweetness of character derived from good works. The blue was a costly pigment made from lapis lazuli, a rock primarily mined in today’s Afghanistan and imported to Europe.