History of Floral Design

Why is History Important?

Helps designer have a better understanding of the origins of floral designs used today.

May have to create a design to complement a certain time period.

Two Original Styles

Occidental Style – evolved in Egyptian and Middle Eastern Cultures; further developed by the Europeans

Oriental-Began in China; later explored by Japanese

Egyptian Period

2800-28BCarranged separate rows of

different colored flowers in shallow bowls

Egyptian Period

Wore garlands or wreaths of flowers on their heads

Ancient Greeks

600-146 BCDid not arrange flowers in

vases, scattered blossoms on tables and on the streets

Ancient Greeks

Garland and wreaths worn during special occasions.

Presented as awards to athletes, statesmen and soldiers.

Ancient Greeks

First to have professional florist

The cornucopia (horn or plenty) was first introduced by the Greek culture

Romans28 BC - 325 ADscatter roses on banquet tables and

on the floorbegan arranging in a basket called

a liknon

Byzantine Period

320-600 ADintroduced symmetrical, tree-

style designsflowers and fruit were used at

regular intervals throughout design

Middle Ages

476-1600 ADvery little is known about floral

designs of this time period except what Persian art portrays

Renaissance

1400-1600 ADdesigns were large, tall,

pyramidal, and symmetrically balanced

Renaissance

flower arrangements were loose, uncrowded and airy

began to dry flowers by burying them in clean, sun-dried sand

Baroque Period1600-1775 A.D.Adopted asymmetrical curves

in the shape of a crescent or an “s”

the Hogarthian curve is still popular today

Flemish-style

1550-1750 ADbeautifully captured by Dutch

painterstraditional baroque styles were

refined; not as loose and open

Flemish style

Tulips were used abundantlyfirst to combine mass designs

of Romans with line designs of the Orient to form mass-line designs

English Georgian period

1714-1760 A.D.nosegay, or handheld bouquet

became stylish; carried by men due to lack of deodorants

Georgian period

small nosegay bouquets (tuzzy-muzzies) placed in bowls were the first use of table centerpieces as we know them today.

Victorian period1820-1914 A.D.Flowers were fashionable but

designs were rather unappealing and poor

usually asymmetrical with no focal point.

Oriental Style-ChineseUsed for decorating alters in

religious ceremonies performed by Buddhist priests.

Philosophies influencing these designs were Confucius, Buddhism, and symbolism that developed as folklore.

Chinese

Four season were usually portrayed by white-blossomed plum in the winter, the peony in spring, the lotus in summer, and mums in fall.

Oriental Style-JapaneseJapanese priest named Ikenabo

refined the art.Began the first school of

floral art in Japan which bears his name.

Oriental Style

Name later changed to Ikebana which means “giving life to the flowers” or “arrangement of living plant material”.