Historical Influences on Floral Design

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Historical Influences on Floral Design
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Introduction

• For centuries, flowers have played an important
  role in many traditions and customs. Flowers
  continue to be used by many cultures around the
  world for decoration and adornment.

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Introduction

• Early civilizations throughout history have
  greatly influenced todays geometric and
  contemporary floral design styles. Today, floral
  design continues to change because of trends and
  cultural influences.

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Ancient Civilizations

• The ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman
  civilizations influenced floral art and design
  through their use and arrangement of floral
  materials.

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Egyptians (2800-28 B.C.)
Floral materials were used for religious and
civic events to honor pharaohs/kings and gods.
They also used flowers for personal enjoyment and
decoration.
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Egyptians (2800-28 B.C.)

• Floral arrangements in this era were known to
  not show the stems of the flowers

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Egyptians (2800-28 B.C.)
They also decorated banquet tables with open
vases, bowls, and baskets of flowers, fruits, and
vegetables.
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Egyptians (2800-28 B.C.)

• The Egyptians used clay pottery for most of the
  floral arrangements.

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Egyptians (2800-28 B.C.)

• Design styles of the Egyptians were simplistic,
  repetitious, and orderly. Predominant colors
  included the primary colors red, yellow, and blue.

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Greeks (600-146 B.C.)

• The Greeks wore wreaths upon their heads and
  garlands around their necks. They also scattered
  flower petals on the ground during banquets and
  festivals.

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Greeks (600-146 B.C.)

• The Greeks arranged loose flowers, fruits, and
  grains in upright cornucopias to present as
  offerings or gifts.

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Romans (28 B.C.-325 A.D.)

• The Romans continued the customs of the Greeks.
  However, the Romans also valued flowers for their
  fragrance and symbolism.

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Byzantine (320-600 A.D.)

• For a time after the fall of the Roman Empire,
  the Byzantine culture continued the floral art
  and design traditions of the Romans.

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Byzantine (320-600 A.D.)

• Byzantine floral designs included garlands
  constructed of narrow bands of fruit and flowers,
  alternated with foliage.

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Byzantine (320-600 A.D.)

• The Byzantine culture was also known for its
  symmetrical, conical, tree-style designs of
  foliage in containers, with flowers and fruit
  spaced at regular intervals throughout.

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European Tradition

• Historical periods of European culture that have
  influenced floral art and design include

• Middle Ages
• Baroque
• English-Georgian
• Renaissance
• Flemish-Dutch
• Victorian

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European TraditionMiddle Ages (475-1400 A.D.)

• Little is known about floral design during the
  Middle Ages with the exception of Persian art.
  Floral paintings show flowers arranged in vases
  in an informal, naturalistic style. Some Oriental
  influence is also seen in the color schemes of
  these floral paintings.

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European TraditionMiddle Ages (475-1400 A.D.)

• During the Middle Ages, wreaths and garlands
  served as decoration and personal adornment.
  Interest and emphasis in flowers and plant
  materials focused on their use in drinks,
  medicines, fragrances, and food.

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European TraditionRenaissance (1400-1600)

• During the Renaissance, an interest in gardening
  spread from Italy and throughout Europe. People
  began to appreciate the beauty and symbolism of
  flowers. Flowers started to represent religious
  history.

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European TraditionRenaissance (1400-1600)
Examples of floral styles during this era
included

• a single flower stem in a vase
• massed symmetrical arrangements in urns and
• compact, conical arrangements consisting of a
  variety of flowers with bright colors and
  distinctive forms.

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European TraditionBaroque (1600-1700)

• Floral designs characteristic of the Baroque
  Period originated in Italy and later spread into
  Holland and Belgium.
• Early Baroque style arrangements were
  symmetrical, oval-shaped, and characterized by
  ornamentation including cherubs and scrolls.

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European TraditionBaroque (1600-1700)

• Later in the Baroque Period, design styles
  became asymmetrical, with a characteristic S
  curve or Line of Beauty that was later named
  the Hogarth Curve in honor of William Hogarth,
  an 18th century English painter.

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European TraditionBaroque (1600-1700)
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European Tradition Flemish-Dutch (1500-1700)

• The Flemish-Dutch period was an age of discovery
  in horticulture. During this period, diverse
  plants such as chrysanthemums, cacti,
  nasturtiums, and sunflowers were introduced to
  Europe by merchant marines who had traveled to
  other regions of the world.

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European Tradition Flemish-Dutch (1500-1700)

• Paintings of floral arrangements from the
  Flemish-Dutch period show a variety of flowers
  from all seasons, which would not have existed in
  an actual floral arrangement.

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European Tradition Flemish-Dutch (1500-1700)
Accents of fruits, shells, nests, and additional
flowers near the base of the container were also
characteristic of Flemish designs.
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European TraditionEnglish-Georgian (1700s)

• During the English-Georgian period of the 1700s,
  the English were passionate about flowers and
  gardening. Floral design features characterized
  during this period included

• Symmetrical and triangular forms.
• One flower type, or a variation of one
  color.
• Flower fragrance.

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European TraditionEnglish-Georgian (1700s)

• A characteristic floral design of the
  English-Georgian period was the nosegay, a small
  hand-held bouquet of fragrant flowers. The
  nosegay was carried by both men and women and was
  believed to provide relief from the unpleasant
  odors and infectious diseases that were prevalent
  during that period.

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European TraditionEnglish-Georgian (1700s)
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European TraditionVictorian (1830-1890)

• During the Victorian or Romantic period, floral
  design techniques were taught and recognized as a
  professional art. Floral design schools were
  being to get their start. Design styles that
  influenced those of this era were Baroque,
  Classic, and Rococo.

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European TraditionVictorian (1830-1890)
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European TraditionVictorian (1830-1890)

• Design styles characteristic of the Victorian
  era were either

• large, compact masses of flowers or
• light, open, and informal.

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European TraditionVictorian (1830-1890)

• The compact massed nature of Victorian designs
  did not allow open spaces or a center of interest
  to be distinguishable. However, one distinct
  feature of these designs was the use of trailing
  plant materials to create a romantic touch.

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Asian Influence

• In contrast to Western or European floral design
  that emphasized massed arrangements, Asian floral
  art focused on line, simplicity, and symbolism.

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Asian Influence

• Flower Meanings
• Bamboo Modesty
• Hollow Stems Empty Heart
• White Lily Chastity Fertility

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Asian InfluenceChinese (500 B.C.-100 A.D.)

• Chinese arrangements placed in ornate containers
  were large and made with few varieties of plant
  materials. The floral designs focused on few
  flowers and interesting branches with a vertical
  element. The emphasis in Chinese designs focused
  on naturalism.

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Asian InfluenceChinese (500 B.C.-100 A.D.)
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Asian InfluenceJapanese (621 A.D.-Present Day)

• Japanese design styles are more carefully
  planned and stylized compared to Chinese designs.
  Ikebana is the Japanese art of floral design,
  which literally means to arrange flowers.

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Asian InfluenceJapanese (621 A.D.-Present Day)
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Asian InfluenceJapanese (621 A.D.-Present Day)

• Significant Flowers in Japan
• Chrysanthemum A flowering herb in China
  that has become a part of the Japanese seal
• Easter Lily Native flower to Japan

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Asian InfluenceJapanese (621 A.D.-Present Day)

• Ikebana design features three primary elements
  or line placements

• Shin (Heaven)
• Soe (Man)
• Hikae or Tai (Earth)

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Asian InfluenceJapanese (621 A.D.-Present Day)
These elements are emphasized in Japanese design
through design simplicity and the use of negative
space.
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American Design StylesEarly American

• Floral arrangements of early American colonists
  consisted of native plant materials placed in
  household containers. Curly Willow and rocks are
  popular in design.

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American Design Styles
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American Design Styles

• A distinctive American style of design began to
  evolve creating distinctive lines and form within
  arrangements. Pyramidal or fan shape becoming
  the most popular.

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American Design Styles