Those umbrella/pinecone things

[MarcoP]

What I see in the Vatican illustration, besides the nebuly line, is a starry dome, a rainbow with God above and a bunch of feathers and whatnot going on below. The similarities with the VMs illustration are minimal.

Of course, there are a lot of differences between the two diagrams. I also see similarities.

• Above: a canopy.
  
• In the middle: a nebuly line (whose main function in art is separating the literal or metaphorical "heavenly" from the the "earthly").
  
• Below: some kind of precipitation.
  

I understand that you are of a different opinion. I must have missed your explanation of the "umbrellas". What do you think they represent?