historical influences on floral design 1. introduction for centuries, flowers have played an...

Historical Influences on Floral Design

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IntroductionFor 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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IntroductionEarly civilizations throughout history have greatly influenced today’s 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.)

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Floral materials were used for religious and civic events to honor pharaohs/kings and gods. They also used flowers for personal enjoyment and decoration.


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

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They also decorated banquet tables with open vases, bowls, and baskets of flowers, fruits, and vegetables.


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

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

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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 TraditionHistorical periods of European culture that have influenced floral art and design include:

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

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)

• 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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Examples of floral styles during this era included:

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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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 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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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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Accents of fruits, shells, nests, and additional flowers near the base of the container were also characteristic of Flemish designs.

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:

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


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 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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Design styles characteristic of the Victorian era were either:

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• large, compact masses of flowers; or

• light, open, and informal.


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 MeaningsBamboo = ModestyHollow Stems = Empty HeartWhite 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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Significant Flowers in JapanChrysanthemum – A flowering herb in China that has become a part of the Japanese seal

Easter Lily – Native flower to Japan

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Ikebana design features three primary elements or line placements:

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• Shin (Heaven)

• Soe (Man)

• Hikae or Tai (Earth)


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These elements are emphasized in Japanese design through design simplicity and the use of negative space.

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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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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historical influences on floral design 1. introduction for centuries, flowers have played an...

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