The Language of Flowers (Art & Design S.) [Hardcover]

Marina Heilmeyer (Author)

Book Description

Series: Art & Design S. | Publication Date: April 2001

In this book the author outlines the mythology of flowers in the ancient and early Christian worlds and explains their special significance for love and marriage, in customs and festivals and the use of flowers as status symbols, as symbols of the seasons of the year or as metaphors of human qualities. This text is followed by flower depictions of the Renaissance and Baroque. Individual sections cover in detail each flower, setting forth in short, vivid texts its history, significance and use.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Say it with Flowers," is a florist's clich‚, but few realize how much flowers can convey. Marina Heilmeyer's The Language of Flowers: Symbols and Myths provides an engaging translation of their significance across centuries and cultures. Writing with journalist Susan Weiss, Heilmeyer, a botanist and art historian, explains the meanings and rituals surrounding 35 different flowers. Readers will learn that for Christians, ever since the Middle Ages, the daffodil has symbolized Christ's resurrection. Violets have an even longer-standing connection to the hereafter, dating back to the myth of Persephone, who was strolling through a meadow of violets when Hades kidnapped her. Rosemary, a symbol of love, was in ancient times burned at altars to appease or thank volatile gods. Contains over 100 elegant color illus., including drawings from 18th- and 19th-century botanical journals, and reproductions from painters like Jan Breughel and William Morris.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Symbolism and mythology surround the history of flowers, influencing our responses and provoking emotions. While religious associations link sweet violets with the Virgin Mary and with Mohammed, who saw them as tokens of his teachings, we might more readily conjure up thoughts of connectedness when given a bouquet of forget-me-nots. From columbines and carnations to poppies and passion flowers, Heilmeyer examines images found in various exquisite paintings and finely detailed botanical illustrations, and recounts myriad beliefs, medicinal uses, and fascinating legends that have survived for eons. Many contemporary gardeners, for instance, look, like their ancestors did, to the Roman goddess Flora as a fitting figurehead for the countless ways flowers enhance our lives. This beautiful book offers vivid reminders of the complex relationship still taking place between flowers and mere mortals. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Prestel Publishing (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3791323962
• ISBN-13: 978-3791323961
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,197,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Meanings Attributed to Flowers Beautifully Displayed!, May 15, 2001

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Language of Flowers (Art & Design S.) (Hardcover)

Anyone who has read the Bible or romantic poetry knows that flowers are often used as symbols. What may not have occurred to you is that the person you receive flowers from or give flowers to may read a message into the selections in the arrangement. If you are like me, you will never again select flowers as gifts solely for their aesthetic qualities. The book's strength is an outstanding choice of paintings used to illustrate the flowers discussed as well as their symbolism. You will be pleased to find the references for these paintings in the book so you can explore the works separately from the book.

Ms. Heilmeyer is both a botanist and an art historian in Berlin, which makes her eminently qualified to explore this subject. Her review of the history of flower symbolism begins in ancient Egypt and moves forward in time through Greece, Rome, and Christian sources across Western Europe. Her key point is that "Throughout the ages flowers have played an important role in expressing feelings, or when joyful or sad news had to be delivered."

The book is organized so that you get one page of essay facing one page of art illustration. The essay page will often have some small botanical illustrations on it. In total, you will find 156 color illustrations, almost all of which are wonderful! I was especially impressed that Ms. Heilmeyer was able to find botanical photographs that so aptly captured the symbolic elements of the flowers. On the top right of the page with the essay, the symbolic meanings are summarized to make it easier to use the book as a reference when assembling a message through an arrangement.

I was struck that many flowers symbolize different things totally in the religious versus the lay context. The potential for mixed messages is strong in those cases.

Here are a few flowers and some of their symbolic meanings to give you a flavor of what you will learn in the book:

Columbine (Aquilegia) -- wisdom and strength, piety and fear; a symbol of salvation, the triumph of life over death; an aphrodisiac;

Thistle -- Scotland's national emblem; a symbol of hard work, suffering and Christ's deliverance; dispels melancholy;

Strawberry -- First fruit of the year; a symbol of purity and sensuality, fertility and abandance, humility and modesty;

Camellia -- A symbol of the transience of life;

Crocus -- Symbol of the Resurrection and heavenly bliss;

Stock -- Symbol of happy life and contented existence;

Lily -- Purity;

Lily of the Valley -- A symbol of the Virgin Mary;

Daisy -- The love flower;

Daffodil -- The promise of eternal life;

Carnation -- Bravery, love, and friendship; symbol of Mother's Day;

Peony -- An arden love of God;

Rose -- Love and joy; and

Pansy -- Sign of the Holy Trinity; symbolizes loyalty.

The obvious application of this book is to make up bouquets that are meaningfully beautiful. I hope you will use it that way to bring you closer to those you love.

After you have finished enjoying this book and making many wonderful arrangements that you would not have considered before, I suggest that you also think about other natural items that have symbolic meanings and employ them as well to expand your visual use of language.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Photos!, January 3, 2004

By 

Patricia Buzo (Saint Paul, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Language of Flowers (Art & Design S.) (Hardcover)

As an artist I am always in search of books that are not only interesting to read, but primarily filled with great photographs of works. This book is filled with wonderful original works...all in color. I would also say that "don't judge a book by it's cover" applies to this one because it not only contains floral "plates" like the one on the cover, but also stunning trompe l'oeil still lifes with a floral theme. This is a wonderful little book!!