It’s no secret that flowers are symbolic, and carry within them a secret message that only the most sensitive, empathic and attentive people can hear. When clients approach me with a vision for their wedding day, the first thought that comes to my mind when planning their floral palette is, “Which flowers will tell this story best?”. If they want their wedding to convey romantic, old world opulence, a garden rose or delphinium might be the perfect protagonist. If they want something that is reminiscent of a hot summer night, I might turn to a flame lily or deep pink ranunculus.
Flowers have always carried embedded meanings and characteristics whose symbolism varies by era, culture and geographic setting. Currently, we may be less aware of the symbolism of each flower than our predecessors were, but with the renaissance of the craft of floristry in the 2010’s, designers seem to be imbuing their own sense of what each floral species means to them into their work.
When we think of floral design in art, a few time periods probably come to mind; The Renaissance, The Dutch Golden Age, Impressionism and Art Nouveau. Each of these art periods dealt with flowers in vastly different, yet equally profound ways.
During the Renaissance, flowers were often used to represent religious virtues, concepts and emotions. For example, the white lily symbolized purity, chastity and virtue. The red rose was symbolic of love and more specifically The Virgin Mary’s love and purity. Poppies were associated with sleep, death and resurrection, and columbines represented the Holy Spirit. Some of these flowers hold a similar significance today, but many have evolved, and in some instances, have obtained a much more commercialized message (think of red roses for Valentine’s Day).
The Annunciation by Leonardo Da Vinci
The Dutch Golden Age was all about new money and showing off wealth. Taking a step away from the religious symbolism of flowers, the Dutch merchant class was interested in hiring artists to produce still life paintings as a status symbol, hence the lavish floral arrangements, fruits, meals and textiles shown in these works. Images of skulls and wilting flowers were often present in the compositions as a reminder that wealth and life are transient, and that death is inevitable. Dutch merchants had new money and wanted everyone to know it.
Still Life with Fish and a Nest By Abraham Mignon
Fast forward to the French impressionist movement of the 19th Century, where flowers went from being the subject, to being the object in many paintings. Artists would use flowers as a means of experimenting with colour, light, shadow and shape. Rather than fixating on the symbolism of the flower or the intricacies of each petal, these artists were interested in the essence of the flower, the vibrancy of its colour, how light reflected off of it, and how they would express it’s form and nature through unique brushstrokes. This shift in the way artists depicted what they saw, as well as what they focused on set the groundwork for expressionistic art in the decades to follow.
Bridge of a Pond of Water Lilies by Claude Monet
Finally, one of the most decadent artistic eras of the 19th Century was the Art Nouveau movement. The style was rich in abstracted, organic forms that adorned everything from architectural details to graphic design, with flowers and plants were at the forefront. This artistic movement was a rebellion against the traditional, static art of the Victorian art and used the theme of nature to celebrate a new found artistic language.
Poster for Victorien Sardou`s Gismonda starring Sarah Bernhardt at the Théâtre de la Renaissance in Paris by Alphonse Mucha
The history and symbolism of flowers is deeply embedded in the fabric of fine arts. Flowers have taken on many roles for artists and continue to be a muse to this day, whether they are the subject of a two dimensional painting, or the very material that makes a florist’s centerpiece or installation. As a florist, regardless of if we are aware of it or not, every species we choose carries with it its own autobiography and becomes a character in the story we are trying to tell with the floral palette we select.
