Symbolism of flowers
Chucky & Janica
I'm trying to find out about flower symbolism in Europe, but can't seem to
find a good source on the net. What I basically need is two flowers (or
plants, at a pinch) that would symbolise life and death respectively. For
death I figured the lily, but what others are there? And for life I can't
come up with anything better than some evergreen tree, and since this is for
a friend's tattoo, a Christmas tree isn't necessarily the best choice. Any
help would be appreciated.
Janica
Alaca
A lily is the symbol for a virgin called Mary. She is dead.
--
P.A.
EDEB
"Chucky & Janica" <janica...@kolumbus.finland> wrote in message
news:ct7oar$ghu$1...@phys-news1.kolumbus.fi...
:
: I'm trying to find out about flower symbolism in Europe, but can't seem to
: find a good source on the net.
If you do get one, I'd love to hear about it! In particular, I want to know what the iconographic
significance of sorrel was.
EDEB.
Chucky & Janica
"Alaca" <P.Alaca@WannaBee> kirjoitti
viestissä:41f76c65$0$44454$a344...@news.wanadoo.nl...
> > I'm trying to find out about flower symbolism in Europe, but can't
> > seem to find a good source on the net. What I basically need is two
> > flowers (or plants, at a pinch) that would symbolise life and death
> > respectively. For death I figured the lily, but what others are
> > there? And for life I can't come up with anything better than some
> > evergreen tree, and since this is for a friend's tattoo, a Christmas
> > tree isn't necessarily the best choice. Any help would be appreciated.
>
> A lily is the symbol for a virgin called Mary. She is dead.
I've never seen a lily connected with Mary, but I'll take your word for it.
The reason I connect the lily with death is because lots of Finnish painters
back in the 19th century tended to do so, but I don't know how common this
association was elsewhere in Europe. I figured the middle ages was as good a
time as any for this sort of question.
Janica
Chucky & Janica
"EDEB" <Debl...@btopenworld.com> kirjoitti
viestissä:ct8303$3lb$1...@hercules.btinternet.com...
> : I'm trying to find out about flower symbolism in Europe, but can't seem
to
> : find a good source on the net.
>
> If you do get one, I'd love to hear about it! In particular, I want to
know what the iconographic
> significance of sorrel was.
The best I can find is this:
http://www.photovault.com/Link/Food/PlantsHerbsSymbolism.html but I have no
idea how realiable this is, or what it bases its claims on. Sorrel ... I
wonder if that's the plant we used to chew as a kid. Related at least. This
site claims healing and health as its significance.
Janica
David B
>
>I'm trying to find out about flower symbolism in Europe, but can't seem to
>find a good source on the net. What I basically need is two flowers (or
>plants, at a pinch) that would symbolise life and death respectively. For
>death I figured the lily, but what others are there?
Flowers are indeed a problem, but have you seen the plant lists at
http://home.att.net/~wegast/symbols/plants/plants.htm
http://painting.about.com/cs/inspiration/a/symbolsflowers.htm ?
(note that the about.com site is a bit pop-up infested)
Actually, there's also a good list at
http://www.cemeterypreservations.accessgenealogy.com/custom3.html
but that's really about gravestone design, so you might prefer the shorter
but sweeter list from the Mothers' Union:
http://www.themothersunion.org/content.asp?iid=834
David B.
Alaca
It is.was the principal symbol of purity
Not only associated with Mary but with many other "virgin saints" and even
Jesus himself.
See for example:
J. Hall 1979. Dictionairy of Subjects and Symbols in Art,
or
P & L Murray. 1996. The Oxford Companion to Christian Art and Architecture
and
many, many (medieval) paintings and miniatures.
So, what about a symbol of purity on your friends bum?
--
-- Peter Alaca --
Simon Pugh
<janica...@kolumbus.finland> writes
of flowers and it gives the following:
Death - Cypress
Life - Lucerne
Any good?
--
Simon Pugh
Remove X for email
Pete Barrett
In Britain the yew (which is of course an evergreen!) is often
associated with death, probably from it's habit of having poisonous
berries and growing in churchyards.
I've never heard of a plant being associated with life - it's usually
eggs or chicks, or perhaps lambs. Perhaps one which flowers early in
spring?
Pete Barrett
Michael Kuettner
"Chucky & Janica" <janica...@kolumbus.finland> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:ct7oar$ghu$1...@phys-news1.kolumbus.fi...
It was believed that mandrake was the result of the last ejaculation of
a dying man (esp. when he died by the rope).
Okay, not really symbolism but at least folklore (and medieval) ;-).
One symbol for the renewal of life would be catkins (at least over
here, ie. the other Australia and Southern Germany).
Cheers,
Michael Kuettner
Chucky & Janica
"Alaca" <P.Alaca@WannaBee> kirjoitti
viestissä:41f7a97e$0$40086$ee9d...@news.wanadoo.nl...
> So, what about a symbol of purity on your friends bum?
It's going on his chest. But I suppose it would be funny, like the old joke
of the guy who took a tattoo in Chinese that ended up being a shopping list.
Janica
Chucky & Janica
"David B" <tronos...@tesco.net> kirjoitti
viestissä:2xNJd.333$hv1...@newsfe1-win.ntli.net...
Thanks, these all look great! I didn't think this subject was going to be so
convoluted, nor did I consider the possibility that meanings would have
changed over time. From the gravestone-page, for instance, I find that the
Calla lily symbolises marriage, and yet it's one of the most common flowers
we here use in funerary bouquets.
I think I'll be able to draw up a list of suggestions based on these. Ivy
seems like a good idea, at least.
Janica
Chucky & Janica
"Simon Pugh" <Ne...@mrzsp.demonX.co.uk> kirjoitti
viestissä:02qnGFBO...@mrzsp.demon.co.uk...
> >I'm trying to find out about flower symbolism in Europe, but can't seem
to
> >find a good source on the net. What I basically need is two flowers (or
> >plants, at a pinch) that would symbolise life and death respectively. For
> >death I figured the lily, but what others are there? And for life I can't
> >come up with anything better than some evergreen tree, and since this is
for
> >a friend's tattoo, a Christmas tree isn't necessarily the best choice.
Any
> >help would be appreciated.
>
> It's not medieval but I have a little Victorian booklet on the language
> of flowers and it gives the following:
> Death - Cypress
> Life - Lucerne
*does some translating* Lucenre is alfalfa? I didn't even realise that made
flowers, but they look nice. I'll add these to the list of suggestions,
thanks!
Janica
Chucky & Janica
"Pete Barrett" <peteb...@beeb.net> kirjoitti
viestissä:kuofv0tgq34qrf939...@4ax.com...
> >I'm trying to find out about flower symbolism in Europe, but can't seem
to
> >find a good source on the net. What I basically need is two flowers (or
> >plants, at a pinch) that would symbolise life and death respectively. For
> >death I figured the lily, but what others are there? And for life I can't
> >come up with anything better than some evergreen tree, and since this is
for
> >a friend's tattoo, a Christmas tree isn't necessarily the best choice.
Any
> >help would be appreciated.
>
> In Britain the yew (which is of course an evergreen!) is often
> associated with death, probably from it's habit of having poisonous
> berries and growing in churchyards.
I don't know if that grows very commonly in Finland, but I'll suggest it as
an option, thanks.
> I've never heard of a plant being associated with life - it's usually
> eggs or chicks, or perhaps lambs. Perhaps one which flowers early in
> spring?
I think I'll go with flowers associated with eternity and longevity, there
seems to be more of those than just plain "life".
Janica
Chucky & Janica
"Michael Kuettner" <mik...@eunet.at> kirjoitti
viestissä:35qlakF...@individual.net...
> Mandrake ?
Bahahahaha, the root would make a funny-looking tattoo, for sure.
> It was believed that mandrake was the result of the last ejaculation of
> a dying man (esp. when he died by the rope).
>
> Okay, not really symbolism but at least folklore (and medieval) ;-).
I haven't heard about that before, I've just read the usual about how deadly
it is to uproot and all that.
> One symbol for the renewal of life would be catkins (at least over
> here, ie. the other Australia and Southern Germany).
I wonder what the reasoning behind that is. Is it a hardy plant? Anyway,
danke! I think I'll be able to draw up a nice long list of options.
Janica
Chris Dickinson
J.C. Cooper 'An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols' has a
section on flowers.
I guess it depends on how what his chest is like! Flowers grow in gardens,
or in the case of the Virgin Mary, in vases in enclosed heavenly spaces -
does the chest fit that description? If so, you might want to go for the
rose or the lily, symbolising the garden of the Blessed. The lotus is
especially male.
On the other hand, flowers grow from the blood of a god when it is spilt on
the ground - the anemone from the blood of Adonis, the violet fom the blood
of Attis, the hyacinth from Hyacinthus and roses from Christ.
A red flower denotes dawn, the rising sun and passion. White flowers purity.
White and red together denote death. Scented flowers are used in death
rites.
Or so the book says!
Chris
Chris Dickinson
thought for a moment I had lent the book to someone.
This has a large section on 'flowers, trees and plants':
Acacia - immortality of the soul
Anemone - classical, sorrow and death; Christian, illness and the
Crucifixion
Apple - death
Cypress - death
Elm - dignity of life
Fig - lust and fertility
Gourd - the Resurrection, especially placed in contrast to the apple
Ivy - death and immortality
Red rose - martyrdom
Tree of Jesse - revived by the blood of Christ
Chris
.
EDEB
: It's going on his chest. But I suppose it would be funny, like the old joke
: of the guy who took a tattoo in Chinese that ended up being a shopping list.
Caution: stupid westerner. I'm sure that's what most of them say.
EDEB.
Simon Pugh
<ch...@dickinson.uk.net> writes
Acacia - Friendship
Acacia, Rose or White - Elegance
Acacia, Yellow - Secret Love
Apple - Temptation
Apple blossom - Preference, Fame speaks him great and good
Cypress - Death
Elm - Dignity
Fig - Argument
Fig Tree - Prolific
Gourd - Extent, Bulk
Ivy - Fidelity, Marriage
Ivy, sprig of - Assiduous to please
Rose, Deep Red - Bashful shame
Rose - Love
Rosebud, red - Pure & Lovely
Tricky stuff this symbolism. :-)
Chris Dickinson
<snip>
>For comparison here are the Victorian versions:
>Acacia - Friendship
>Acacia, Rose or White - Elegance
>Acacia, Yellow - Secret Love
>Apple - Temptation
>Apple blossom - Preference, Fame speaks him great and good
>Cypress - Death
>Elm - Dignity
>Fig - Argument
>Fig Tree - Prolific
>Gourd - Extent, Bulk
>Ivy - Fidelity, Marriage
>Ivy, sprig of - Assiduous to please
>Rose, Deep Red - Bashful shame
>Rose - Love
>Rosebud, red - Pure & Lovely
>
>Tricky stuff this symbolism. :-)
<snip>
Ah, bashful shame. What a very Victorian sentiment! The next time they
screen Snow White at Xmas, I will pay more attention to the iconography -
but I don't suppose the Victorians had a flower for grumpiness.
I should point out, as I didn't in my early morning post, that my list was
extracted from a much lengthier and wordier version by the author George
Ferguson; and he might not be too happy with my simplistic version.
It did strike me that Christian symbolism wasn't of much use to the OP - as
the OP was interested in 'life and death' but the Christian emphasis was on
'death and then life'.
Chris
Chucky & Janica
"Chris Dickinson" <ch...@dickinson.uk.net> kirjoitti
viestissä:cta4cv$dev$1...@sparta.btinternet.com...
Brilliant, thanks! Now I'll have to translate these into Finnish...
I've always wondered, reading about various symbols in jewelry and art and
whatnot (I ran into a bunch of jewelry-related symbols when reading about
Tudor England, for instance) just how well people knew and recognised
various symbols. Did ladies have little handbooks with the most common ones,
and consult them when their secret adorer gave them a brooch with a dove and
pomegranates on it, or did they just nod and look wise and pretend they knew
what the hell was going on?
Janica
Simon Pugh
<janica...@kolumbus.finland> writes
>
books. All sorts of things were important, I once looked into colours
for clothing, I don't remember may details, but I think green was young,
grey no lo0nger young but not yet old and then black for old age.
The little booklet I have for the Victorians is a facsimile of The
Language of Flowers first published in 1884. It has about 500 "words"
mostly to do with courtship.