1. Middle Ages, Gothic, Persian, and Renaissance Periods
(476 A.D. – 1600 A.D.)

2. Middle Ages (476 A.D. – 1450 A.D)
Period between ancient and modern times
aka = Medieval Period and Dark Ages
Monastic Environment
Garden herbs
Fragrant flowers
Medicinal plants
Illuminated manuscripts
Most flowers were eaten
Flowers were used for air fresheners

3. Gothic Period (1200 A.D. – 1425 A.D.)
Late Middle Ages: wars, feudalism, unrest
Gardens were inside monastery walls.
Tall soaring arrangements
Few blossoms used to emphasize their preciousness

4. Persian Period (1300 A.D. – 1700 A.D.)
A love of gardens and growing flowers is depicted throughout all Persian art
Weavings
Paintings
MOSAICS

5. Persian Period (1300 A.D. – 1700 A.D.)
Rugs and Textiles contained florals and vases.

6. Persian Period (1300 A.D. – 1700 A.D.)
Area of origin of the tulips, mistakenly called “tulipan” by the French, after the Persian word “dulbanc” (turban), because it looked like a turban.

7. Persian Period (1300 A.D. – 1700 A.D.)
Arrangements characterized by simple compositions
Delicate flasks against harmonies hues
Flame like contours made in FOOTED containers of brass or ceramic

8. Renaissance (1400 A.D. – 1600 A.D.) Started in Italy
Interest in classical art forms
Floral arrangements characteristics were massed in tight, symmetrical shapes.

9. Renaissance Period (1400-1600 A.D.)
Began in Italy and spread throughout Europe
At first art belonged primarily to the Church and represented religious history
Great emphasis placed on flower symbolism
Rose
At the beginning of the Renaissance period in Italy, art belonged primarily to the Church. During this time art represented religious history. Flowers in vases were introduced in painting to express certain abstract concepts such as love, purity, and humility.
For example, the rose was the flower of Venus, goddess of love. It is used in this picture by Stefan Lochner entitled Madonna of the Rose Bush, to portrayed sacred love.

10. Renaissance Period White lily
Symbol of chastity and fertility…known as Madonna lily
Another example of flowers used for symbolic purposes is The white lily, cultivated in Europe since earliest times. The lily was the symbol of chastity and fertility. Nothing could possibly have been more appropriate to symbolize the miraculous birth, and the flower appeared in many paintings of the Annunciation and soon was called the Madonna Lily.

11. Renaissance Design Styles
Several design styles typical
Single stem of white lilies
Flowers in vases so that only blossoms are visible creating a massed, symmetrically stiff, conical design
Use of bright colors and forms
Wreaths and garlands

12. Renaissance Containers
Many types of containers used
Elaborate metal containers designed to hold flowers
Notice the lid…
The container illustrated in this slide was designed during the Renaissance period specifically to hold flowers. This type of container made it convenient to insert flower stems into the holds of the removable lid. All of the flower heads could be placed facing out to form a tight symmetrical bouquet, typical of the designs of this period.