A lot of people believe that the Victorians invented the language of flowers, however, it was actually two women from Europe’s 1700s who kick-started the craze. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and Aubry de la Mottraye travelled together during the Ottoman Empire and brought back their knowledge of a secret encrypted language, based upon flower symbolism.
Origins
In the Victorian period, the art of Floriography became very popular. It involved using flowers to convey messages. While it declined towards the end of the 19th century, floral symbolism remains important today. Whitney Lynn, a contemporary artist, created in the name of San Diego International Airport a project that used flowers with specific meanings.
The craze of florature started within Ottoman Turkey, and was brought to Europe by Lady Mary Wortley Montague and Seigneur Aubry de la Mottraye. As the trend gained traction, many floriography dictionaries were published. They included information about botanicals along with novelty items such as calendars, as well as descriptions of the flowers and their symbolic meanings. The meanings were derived from myths, mythology, and folklore (the association of the daffodil with egotism for instance), but others stemmed directly from the flowers. They also included dictionaries on flowers. they often referenced the Eastern culture that is known as Selam.
Victorian Era
Floriography, the art of flowers, served as a subtle form of covert communication during Victorian society. The cryptic system of botanical symbols was used to express love, hate or even desire. It enabled Victorians that were subject to strict rules of social behavior and customs, to communicate their emotions by using a method that was acceptable.
In the 19th century, books regarding the meanings of flower and words were published. The meanings of the flower-related language differ depending on the flower being employed, how it was presented or even the person giving the flower. These subtle expressions permitted interpretation as well as creativity. The flower vocabulary grew to include over 1,400 shop hoa tuoi diverse flowers, herbs and trees. While the language of the dictionary differed from culture however, many sentiments were very similar.
Evolution of Symbolism
Flowers have been used for centuries as the best way to show emotion, sentiment, and appreciation. Old meanings change or disappear in the course of cultivation and their culture shifts.
When the flower-themed language gained popularity during the 18th century England as well as North America, authors penned easy-to-read guides and dictionaries which connected a specific flower to the meaning of its symbol. These dictionaries can be beautifully illustrated and bound in sentimental dedications.
Many of these symbols were derived from religion, mythology and folklore. Narcissus’s tale of getting in love at a pool has prompted the association of daffodils with the concept of egotism. Others were influenced by the look of the plants, or their qualities. Mimosas for instance, are a symbol of purity since they are sensitive to touch as well as close at night.
Cultural Influences
In the Victorian Era, flower language was a popular method of quiet language. It was a good fit in a world where the use of words to express feelings was not encouraged and etiquette was an important part of conversations in social settings.
The art of floristry was popular among wealthy women and magazines such as Godey’s Ladies’ Book often ran articles on it. The game was also popular parlor game where blindfolded people picked a flower from a vase and then decided the outcome of their love, fate or fortune.
There were many dictionaries for flowers which gave each flower its specific purpose. The lexicons could be quite diverse, for instance, the flowers of hyacinth were believed to be a symbol of beauty, as well as dedication, purity, and even forgiveness. These interpretations were based on various sources, which included the classical literature, Shakespearean associations, and older French Florographies.
Modern
The art of symbolism through flowers is still popular today. Editors, designers and artists, florists marketers, writers, and poets all use it. It’s sometimes called”florography” or “the language of flowers.
In the Victorian time, floral design reached the heights of its popularity. Many flower, herb and plant books came out. Many of them contained descriptions of the flowers, herbs and plants as well as their meanings symbolic. Some were based upon legends or folklore. The example of the link with egotism and daffodils comes from Narcissus’ obsession with himself.
The flower symbols convey various messages and feelings. They can also be utilized for conveying different emotions. The red color of a passionate rose symbolizes passion and love, while the delicate white rose represents pure innocence.