Many people assume that the Victorians were the first to develop the language of flowers however, it was actually two European women in the 1700s who sparked this craze. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and Aubry de la Mottraye were both a part of the travels throughout the Ottoman Empire and brought back their knowledge of a written language that was based on flower symbolism.
Origins
The art of floral inscription (or flower language) was a wildly popular Victorian era craze that involved transmitting messages via flowers. Despite its waning towards the end of the 19th century, the concept of floral symbols is in use today. As an example, the contemporary artist Whitney Lynn created a project to decorate the San Diego International Airport using flowers with specific sentimental meanings.
It was Lady Mary Wortley Montague, Seigneur Aubry de la Mottraye, and Seigneur Aubry de Mottraye that introduced the fashionable trend to Europe from Ottoman Turkey. Numerous dictionaries on floriography followed the popularity of these dictionary. These books included botanical information as well as novelty objects such calendars, and descriptions of the flowers and their symbolic meanings. A few of these interpretations are based on mythology of folklore or mythology (the daffodil’s association with egotism is an example) however, others came from the flowers themselves. In their flower dictionaries, these authors often cited an Eastern practice that is known as Selam.
Victorian Era
Floriography, the art of flowers, functioned as an obscure method of communication in Victorian society. This coded botanical system could communicate love, desire or disdain. It allowed people in a time where strict dress code was in place to be able to express their thoughts with a manner that was acceptable to society.
books devoted to the flower language became popular in the beginning of the 19th century and dictionaries of flowers along with their symbolic meanings came into existence. The nuances in this flower language may differ based the type of flower employed, how it was delivered or the person who presented the flower. The nuanced expression of emotion offered a lot of room for interpretation and creativity. The vocabulary of flower names grew to include more than 1,400 different flowers, herbs, as well as trees. Even though the lexicon of flowers varied from one country to the next, the feelings were often alike.
Symbolism Evolution
Flowers have always been a way to express emotion, sentiment, and reverence. As culture evolves and plants are more extensively cultivated and used, meanings of old are altered or discarded, and new meanings emerge.
As the flower language craze became more popular in 18th century England and North America, authors penned intuitive guides and dictionaries that associated a particular flower with its symbolic definition. Dictionary books are typically stunningly illustrated, and are tied with sentimental dedications.
Many of these symbols were taken from mythology, religion and folklore. Narcissus the story of a man getting in love in the pool inspired the association between daffodils and pride. Others were derived from the plants’ appearance or characteristics. Mimosas are a good example. bring feelings of purity because they are sensitive to touch and close up at night.
Cultural Influences
The Victorian Era saw the emergence of flower language to be a subtle method of expression of. It was the perfect language to be used in a period where direct expressions of emotion were not looked at and social the role of etiquette was a crucial one when it came to social interaction.
Ladies’ magazines like Godey’s Ladies’ Book featured it often. It was a game played in the parlors, where people were blindfolded hoa khai truong as they took a bouquet of flowers out of a vase in order to determine their love, fortune or fate.
There was a variety of flower dictionary publications which assigned each flower with an individual purpose. The lexicons offered a variety of meanings such as the hyacinth was believed to be a symbol of beauty, however it also represented the concept of forgiveness and loyalty. The meanings for these flowers are derived from a diverse array of sources that included Shakespearean connections and classic literature.
Modern
The symbolism of flowers is still popular until today. It is utilized by artists, designers, editors as well as florists, marketers, poets, and writers. Florography is used frequently to define it.
The heyday of floriography was during the Victorian era, floriography was a popular genre of literature. A myriad of flower, plant and plant-related books were published. They included descriptions of the flowers, herbs and other plants along with meanings symbolic. Many were based on myths or folklore. The example of the link between daffodils with egotism comes from Narcissus’s obsession with himself.
The symbols of flowers can transmit many different messages and emotions. They also vary by color since each hue brings specific feelings and significance. As an example, a fiery red rose represents feelings of love and affection, while an elegant white rose symbolizes the purity and innocence.