It seems like common knowledge that roses symbolize love, but have you ever wondered where flower meanings come from? Using flowers symbolically dates back to before the nineteenth century, but it wasn’t until the nineteenth century that floriography became formalized. In 1809, Joseph Hammer-Purgstall publishedDictionnaire du language des fleurs, the first published list on the language of flowers.
Though floriography was popularized in Europe, it was inspired by women of the Ottoman Empire who used flowers to convey messages that they could not say aloud. In fact, Greek and Armenian women helped Hammer-Purgstall understand the language of flowers and translate traditional Turkish sayings into French. Flower symbolism became even more elaborate in 1819 when Louise Cortambert wrote Le langage des Fleurs, a dictionary on the language of flowers.
The rise of flower symbolism during this time makes sense, as it was the height of the Romantic era where nature was seen as beauty, and people were heavily influenced by their emotions. Floriography allowed for a tangible exchange of these emotions.
In this series, we’re going to explore what some of the most popular flowers mean, the history behind them, and how they have been used in art and literature.
The sunflower symbolizes adoration. Its meaning may stem from the ancient Greek myth of Apollo and Clytie. Clytie, a nymph, adored Apollo. At first, he loved her back, but soon he fell in love with Leucothoe. Because of her jealousy, Clytie told Leucothoe’s father of the relationship and he punished her by burying her alive. In anger, Apollo turned her into a flower, but even in flower form she still loved him and would spend her days watching him as he moved the sun across the sky in his chariot.
One of the most distinguishing characteristics of sunflowers is how they reposition themselves to face the sun when they are young, just like Clytie did in the myth. When the flowers develop and their stems become woody, they no longer do this.
The sunflower has been used throughout history in many different ways. Sunflowers were originally cultivated by Native Americans, and used for food and medicine. Medicinal uses included using the juice from the stems to treat wounds and infusing the plant in water to treat kidneys and chest pains.
Though sunflowers aren’t usually used medicinally anymore, they are still grown for agricultural purposes. The two main types of sunflower varieties grown are the oil seed type, which has small black seeds, and the non-oil type, which has larger seeds with a thicker hull. Sunflower oil is used for cooking and in beauty products, and its health benefits include improved heart health and lower cholesterol. Using FTD coupons, Ftd Flowers Coupon 50% OFF, you can save on bouquets of roses, tulips, lilies, orchids, daisies, and even silk flowers. Check out Ftd Flowers Coupon 50% OFF for your favorite products now!
Sunflowers have also been used by countless artists. The most well-known portrayal of sunflowers is Van Gogh’s Sunflower series, which includes Vase With Twelve Sunflowers, Two Cut Sunflowers, and Four Cut Sunflowers. Ai WeiWei was also inspired by the flowers in his Sunflower Seeds exhibit, an installation of millions of porcelain seeds handcrafted by specialists working in small-scale workshops in China, symbolizing the relationship between the individual and the masses.
Authors and other influential figures have used sunflower symbolism to inspire them too, causing them to write encouraging words like:
- Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. It’s what the sunflowers do. – Helen Keller
- Every friend is to the other a sun, and a sunflower also. He attracts and follows. – Jean Paul
- Light-enchanted sunflower, thou/ Who gazest ever true and tender/ On the sun’s revolving splendour. – Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Sunflowers are often given on 3rd year wedding anniversaries as signs of adoration, loyalty, and strength. Whether you’re simply trying to brighten someone’s day, or you want to show how much you adore them, the vibrant, fun nature of sunflowers make them a great choice.
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