Flowers: Roses and Lilacs 1880 - 1911

Paul de Longpré rendered these roses and lilacs with watercolor, capturing their delicate beauty. Roses, from ancient times, have been potent symbols of love and beauty, often associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Lilacs, on the other hand, carry a more varied significance, often linked to first love and innocence. Consider how Botticelli, in his "Primavera," scattered roses to evoke a sense of idyllic love and fertility. Meanwhile, the symbolic language of flowers, the Victorian floriography, assigned specific meanings to each bloom. The rose might declare love, while the lilac could signify the first emotions of youthful romance. These floral symbols are not static; they evolve. In our collective memory, the rose remains a deeply ingrained emblem of passion, while the lilac retains its association with the ephemeral beauty of spring. Notice how the artist evokes an emotional connection. The flowers' vibrancy and fragility resonate with our subconscious awareness of life's fleeting nature, engaging us on a profound level. These symbols have resurfaced, evolved, and taken on new meanings in vastly different contexts.