History of Floral Design Objectives To become familiar

History of Floral Design

Objectives… • To become familiar with the history of floral design. • To understand the origin and development of different styles.

Think About It… Where do we see evidence of floral design in historical situations?

Significance of Flowers… • • Used throughout civilization Religious significance Personal adornment Addition of beauty to dwellings

Significance of Flowers… • Special Occasions • Symbols of love, friendship, sympathy, and celebration • Language of flowers

Why the History of Floral Design? • To be able to create arrangements depicting historical style or design period. • To understand the impact of earlier cultures on modern designs.

The Classical Period • • • Byzantine Period Egyptian Period Greek Period Middle Ages Roman Period

Egyptian Period (2800 -28 B. C. ) • Styles were simple and orderly • Wide-mouthed containers or bowls held flowers or fruit • Wire loops or holes around container rims held flower stems • Regimented rows and repetition of identical floral groups created patterned designs • Primary colors dominated

Greek Period (600 -146 B. C. ) • Grace simplicity and symbolism characterized the Greek design • Did not arrange flowers in vases • Flowers were scattered on the ground for celebrations • Wreaths and garlands were worn or carried during special occasions • Heroes, athletes, and dignitaries were honored with wreaths • Potted plants were grown indoors to supply flowers

Roman Period (28 B. C. – 325 A. D. ) • • Continued use of the Greek designs Wreaths and garlands were more elaborate Blossom filled scarves were placed on religious alters Flowers were arranged in containers or likonons – Baskets with high backs and flattened fronts

Byzantine Period (320 -600 A. D. ) • Continued Roman designs • Garlands were twisted narrow bands of fruit, flowers, and foliage. • Introduced symmetrical stylized tree compositions • Elaborate containers had nearly pointed bases • Color schemes used neighboring hues with complementary accents.

Middle Ages (476 – 1400 A. D. ) • Flowers arranged in vases • Symmetrical groups in Chinese flasks show Chinese influence • Little known about floral designs of this period • Information found in Persian art, rugs, and tapestries

The European Periods of Floral Design • • • Renaissance Period Baroque Period Flemish Period French Styles English Georgian Period Victorian Period

Renaissance Period (1400 -1600) • Arrangements were large, tall, pyramidal and symmetrically balanced • Arrangements were twice the height of the container • Flowers were loose, airy, and not crowded • Bright colors contrasted with plastered walls

Baroque and Flemish Style Period (1600 -1775 A. D. ) • Classical Renaissance style gave way to the lavish Baroque Style • Baroque style originated in Italy and spread to Holland Belgium • Symmetrical oval shaped designs • Hogarthian curve or S-Curve developed this period

Flemish Style… • Flemish artists painted floral arrangements which refined Baroque style • Better proportioned and more compact • Flowers were massed into oval shaped arrangements taller than their container • Many arrangements in paintings could not have existed because the flowers bloomed in different seasons

French Tradition • Was influenced by Baroque art • Influenced European, English, and American styles • Feminine appeal • Topiary designs were introduced

English Georgian Period (1714 -1760) • • Moved away from formality and symmetry Japanese influence affected design Tuzzy-muzzy was a hand held bouquet at this time Nosegays were placed in bowls of water on tables as centerpieces

Victorian Period (1820 -1901) • Floral designs were poorly proportioned • Large masses of flowers with no focal point would crowd containers • Too many colors and flower types created unplanted effect • Toward the end of the period, rules were established for floral design • Skilled designers established floral design at a professional art

History of Oriental Style… • Japanese Style • Chinese Style

Chinese Styles… • Floral arrangements originally used to decorate Buddhist temples • Large, symmetrical arrangements with central axis • Only one or two types of flowers and foliage used • Bright colors

Japanese Styles • Adopted Chinese style in the 6 th century and created their own highly refined art form • Japanese styles are characterized by linear forms and open spaces.

American Floral Design Periods • • Early American Period Colonial Williamsburg Period American Federal Period Contemporary Styles

Early American Period… • Early colonists had little time for flower arranging • Household utensils were used as containers – Kettles, pitchers, pans, baskets etc. • Materials for arrangements were wildflowers, dried flowers and grasses • Designs were informal and massed

Colonial Williamsburg Period 1724 – 1780 • Trade with Europe influenced floral designs • Many southern arrangements were copied from European prints and tapestries • Casual, open massed bouquets were common • Styles were fan shaped, rectangular or round • Visual weight concentrated at base of design

American Federal Period 1780 -1820 Influenced by French Styles Stressed individual beauty of flowers Break from English styles Flower height was greater than the width of arrangement • Gave way to ornate Victorian style • •

Modern American (Late 1800’s-Present) • Development of floral wire services in late 19 th century established design catalogs • European mass designs were combined with Japanese line designs to create line mass designs • Advances in transportation and refrigeration influenced availability of cut flowers from local to world markets