The Symbolism of Flowers in Art History (Part 2)

[@rosverlegaspo6752]

I was waiting for sunflowers. I don't think I find sunflowers in paintings that much. Van Gogh's Sunflowers might be the most recognized but Dorothea Tanning's rather disturbing representation of a sunflower in one of her painting does stick with me.

[@AmuzeArt]

Very interesting! I suppose you refer to her painting Eine Kleine Nachtmusik? That's a really cool one. Unfortunately, I could not include it in the video because of copyright protection, but in that painting the sunflower has another symbolic meaning, as it refers to the aggressiveness of the sunflower (in competing with other plants).

[@baldwinverhoeven9795]

I'm always in awe by the number of flowers painted in Botticelli's Primavera, marvelous!

[@AmuzeArt]

That is such an intriguing painting! It contains over 500 individual flowers and between 170 and 200 different varieties. Most of these flowers were growing in the spring around Florence. Botanical experts have been able to identify about 130 flowers, and for the remaining ones, there is a discussion on whether these are fantasy flowers created by Botticelli or real flowers that existed in 15th-century Florence but are now extinct.​

[@ginwin12]

I like this video ❤❤

[@AmuzeArt]

Thanks!

[@normabuccianti2681]

I’m loving your lessons, thank you!

[@AmuzeArt]

Thanks!

[@t.j.payeur5331]

One of my top 3 favorite paintings, in the Gardiner Museum, is Spring Flowers in a Vase by Renoir. One of the most active dynamic still-lifes that I've ever seen...another one is Alexander's Battle at Issus by Albrecht Altdorfer (not a lot of flowers in that one)..my other favorite mostly depends on the day of the week..St. Sébastien by George de La Tour, maybe..or Tuna Fishing by Dali..or Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose by John Singer Sargent..or anything by Mantegna...

[@AmuzeArt]

Nice, I frequently get the question what my favorite painting is, and I often answer something else. Of course, there are some that I will always like, but the answer depends very much on my mood and the art I have recently seen. For example, I always have some attraction to Kandinsky, but I can't (yet) really fully explain why..

[@Noblebird02]

Wait daisies are associated with the goddess of childbirth?

[@AmuzeArt]

Right

[@Noblebird02]

@@AmuzeArt so if I wanted to represent a OBGYN in a renaissance painting, I could use a combination of pomegranates, quince, daisies.

[@AmuzeArt]

@@Noblebird02 Yep, and (water)melons as well due to their high water content, and grapes may also be appropriate due to their association with abundance (in classical mythology related to Bacchus)