Thirteen-course lute

The lute’s teardrop-shaped body evokes the breast, a symbol of seduction and nourishment. The instrument came to be associated with both the nursing Virgin Mary—source of sustenance for Christ and the Church—and the breasts of Venus, Roman goddess of love. The lute’s sound hole, commonly referred to as the rose, had erotic connotations. The instrument’s opening and the flower both provoked comparisons to female genitalia. Strumming the lute was often likened to intercourse.