![]() ![]() ![]() At the end of the Roman Empire, the practice fell into disuse but returned during the Middle Ages-a knight showed his devotion to a lady by wearing her color on his casque, and she responded to his attention by choosing special flowers to wear on her dress. Greeks and Romans decorated their poets, patriots, and victors with floral wreaths, laurels, and oak crowns. Collection of the author.įloriography has been known since the early ages. ![]() Whimsical floral illustrations with their “meanings” decorate these Victorian trade cards by Bognard, Paris. Perhaps it is not surprising that floriography-assigning meaning to flowers-saw a resurgence at the beginning of the nineteenth century and remained popular through World War I (1914–1918). Flowers were a common subject in art, literature, and home decoration. The increased introduction of exotic plants and an interest in the natural world led to an infatuation with horticulture, botany, and gardening. ![]() The Victorians dutifully followed those rules yet were deeply romantic and embraced sentimental symbolism as a means to express their feelings. Scientific and industrial progress were opening new horizons and opportunities yet society continued to adhere to strict rules of appropriate behavior for men and women. The Victorian era (1837–1901) was in many ways an age of contradictions. ![]()
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