History of Floral Design

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 • 2800-28BC • arranged separate rows of different colored flowers in shallow bowls

Egyptian Period • Wore garlands or wreaths of flowers on their heads

Ancient Greeks • 600-146 BC • Did 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

Romans • 28 BC - 325 AD • scatter roses on banquet tables and on the floor • began arranging in a basket called a liknon

Byzantine Period • 320-600 AD • introduced symmetrical, tree-style designs • flowers and fruit were used at regular intervals throughout design

Middle Ages • 476-1600 AD • very little is known about floral designs of this time period except what Persian art portrays

Renaissance • 1400-1600 AD • designs 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 Period • 1600-1775 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 AD • beautifully captured by Dutch painters • traditional baroque styles were refined; not as loose and open

Flemish style • Tulips were used abundantly • first 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 period • 1820-1914 A.D. • Flowers were fashionable but designs were rather unappealing and poor • usually asymmetrical with no focal point.

Oriental Style-Chinese • Used 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-Japanese • Japanese 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”.

History of Floral Design