Mallows 17th - 19th century

This is an image of mallows on a fan, created by an artist from the Tosa School. The mallow is a flower rich in symbolism. In Japan, it is known as "aoi," and is associated with the Aoi Festival of the Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto. The flower is believed to have protective qualities, often used as a symbol to ward off evil spirits and misfortune. But let's not confine ourselves to Japan. The presence of floral motifs remind us of similar traditions across different cultures and eras. The association of flowers with protection and blessings can be found in ancient Greece, with the use of laurel wreaths, or in medieval Europe, where certain flowers were linked to saints. These recurring motifs reveal a deep-seated human need to imbue nature with symbolic meaning, a collective memory, and subconscious yearning for protection and harmony. The cyclical nature of these symbols is clear: they resurface, evolve, and adapt, carrying cultural and emotional weight across vast stretches of time.