1. Why is Floral Design Important?
Warm-up: List as many reasons as you can describing why you think Floral Design is important.
Celebrate an occasion
Create art
Symbolize emotions
Add aesthetics
Show thoughtfulness
Others??

2. History of Floral Design
By: Mrs. Sheffield
History of Floral Design

3. Objectives
Identify the impact of various civilizations on Floral Design.
Analyze various periods in floral design history.
Understand the importance of floral history

4. Egyptian Period ( B.C)
Royal families were enthusiastic plant collectors
Flowers used:
water lilies
lotus
roses
violets
narcissus
jasmine

5. Egyptian Period (cont.)
Flowers considered sacred
Symbolized Gods / Goddesses
Blossoms of lotus/water lilies were placed in elaborate vases, bowls, jars that were gold, silver or glass
Used baskets of fruits and flowers to decorate a table before a feast.

6. Egyptian Period (cont.)
2nd per. 9/2
Wore chaplets (garlands/wreaths) on their heads
Garlands made of petals, buds, leaves

7. Egyptian Style (cont.) Clear and simple
Used colors of red, yellow, and blue
Used lots of repetition (types, color, heights of flowers for pattern)

8. Greek Period ( B.C.)
Greeks did not arrange their flowers in vases or bouquets
Flowers scattered on the ground for ceremonies and festivities
Flowers primarily used for garlands & wreaths
Wreaths presented to athletes for victory/dedication

9. Greek Period (cont.)
3rd per. 9/2
Flowers were worn in hair for personal decoration and beauty
Greeks grew potted plants indoors and in hothouses
Greeks were first to have professional florists who did floral work for people

10. Greek Period (cont.) Cornucopia (Horn of Plenty)
Displayed vertically
Floral Designs limited by rituals and traditions
Each flower in a design symbolized a God or hero

11. Greek Period (cont.) Graceful and simplistic Color not important
Most important was flowers, fragrance, and symbolism

12. Chinese Period (500 B.C.–100 A.D.
Flowers and Plant Materials were used for decorating altars used in religious ceremonies performed by Buddhist Priests
Flowers also arranged in massive bronze ceremonial vessels

13. Chinese Period (cont.)
Confucius and his philosophies influenced Chinese designs
He utilized the art of contemplation and simplicity

14. Chinese Period (cont.)
Chinese only allowed to use cut flowers sparingly
Believed in the preservation of life
Only storm-broken branches and stems were utilized for ceremonies

15. Chinese Period (cont.)
5th per. 9/2
Flowers given women’s names because of their femininity and fragile beauty
Winter- (white-blossomed plum)
Spring- (Peony)
Summer- (Lotus)
Fall- (Chrysanthemum)
Arrangements were large, symmetrical and simple
Bright flower colors contrasted with the container used
Lighter flower colors positioned in the outer portions of the design--darker colors near the base

16. Roman Period (28 B.C.-325 A.D.) Continued Greek customs
Used roses at evening banquets and scattered these roses over the floor
Scarves filled with blossoms were offered at altars as part of religious ceremonies

17. Roman Period (cont.)
Garlands and wreaths more elaborate than those of Greeks
Flowers were arranged in a basket called “liknon”
Flowers in these arrangements were highly fragrant and brightly colored

18. Byzantine Period (320-600 A.D.)
After fall of Roman Empire, Roman traditions continued for a while by the Byzantine Culture
Greek/Roman styles used
Garlands now consisted of narrow bands of fruit and flowers alternated with foliage

19. Byzantine Period (cont.)
Introduced symmetrical, tree-style designs
Foliage arranged in containers to resemble symmetrical, conical trees

20. Byzantine (cont.)
Color schemes used were analogous, accented with a complementary color
Example: Varying hues of green, blue green, and blue accented with flowers or fruit that was red, red-orange, or orange

21. Middle Ages ( A.D.)
The Middle Ages occurred after the fall of the western Roman Empire
Flowers were not used much except for religious ceremonies and special occasions
Middle Ages Link

22. Middle Ages (cont.) Start of Persian Art
2nd per. 9/3
Start of Persian Art
portraits of flowers arranged in vases
Several color schemes used having an Oriental influence

23. Japanese Period (486 A.D.)
Japanese style of floral arranging became known as “IKEBANA”
Ikebana means “arrangement of living plant materials”
Ikebana became widely used in worldly and religious art

24. Japanese Style Principles of Ikebana: Shin Soe Tai Heaven= Shin
3rd per. 9/3
Shin
Soe
Tai
Principles of Ikebana:
Heaven= Shin
Man= Soe
Earth= Tai

25. Japanese Style (cont.) Linear forms
Straight, curved, or angular lines of flowers and foliage

26. Renaissance Period (1400-1600 A.D.)
Began in Italy and spread through Europe
People began to take an interest in gardening
Extensive gardens were planted for beauty

27. Renaissance Period (cont.)
Floral Designs were large, tall, pyramidal, and symmetrically balanced
Arrangement was typically twice the height of the container
Bright flower colors were used
Formal bouquets were tied
together to give away

28. Renaissance Period (cont.)
Flowers were preserved and dried in their natural colors
Flowers were buried in sand to draw out moisture

29. Baroque Period ( A.D.)
Arrangements began as symmetrical, oval-shaped designs
Later, asymmetrical curves in the shape of an S or a crescent became popular
These designs were tall,
and consisted of several
different flower types and
colors

30. Baroque Period (cont.)
5th per. 9/3
Hogarth curve is still popular

31. Flemish Period ( A.D.)
Used a lot of proportion and were more compact than the Baroque styles
Tulips were used abundantly in the designs
Flemish were the first to combine the mass designs of the Romans and the line designs of the Orient

32. Flemish Period (cont.)
Flemish never physically arranged flowers into designs---instead, they painted pictures of floral designs
It is believed that the floral arrangements in the Flemish paintings never really existed
Thought that they derived from the imaginations of the artists.
WHY?

33. Flemish Period (cont.)
The flowers that were in the paintings did not grow at the same times during the year

34. English Georgian Period (1714-1760 A.D.)
Floral designs have moved away from formality and symmetry
Flowers used to construct neck and hair pieces for fashionable women
Nosegay bouquets designs
were carried

35. English Georgian Period (cont.)
Nosegays were first carried by men in England
As two men would meet and shake hands to greet one another, they would extend the nosegay

36. English Georgian Period (cont.)
Small nosegay-style bouquets (tuzzy-muzzy’s) placed in bowls
Table centerpieces for formal & informal events
In the home, tuzzy-muzzy’s placed to keep away germs and diseases
Woman carried tuzzy-muzzy’s
that held concealed smelling salts
due to tightly cinched bustles
Tuzzy-Muzzy

37. Victorian Period (1820-1914 A.D.)
3rd per. 9/4
Victorian Period ( A.D.)
Floral designs were very poor during this time period, but were very fashionable
They were improperly proportioned, large flowers cramped into a container
Designs were usually asymmetrical
with no focal point

38. Modern American Period (1917-Present)
2nd per. 9/4
WWI brought end to the Victorian period of design
Corsages became popular as “gift” to soldier that was returning

39. Division of American Styles
Early American
Wildflowers, grains, grasses in jugs, pitchers
Colonial ( )
Massed, rounded, fan-shaped
Neoclassic ( )
French-influenced; fan, pyramidal
Greek Revival ( )
Final phase of neoclassical
Large, symmetrical, lavish

40. Division of American Styles (cont.)
American Victorian ( )
Copied European style
Art Nouveau ( )
Creative, curved lines of nature
Containers curved also
Art Deco (1920’s – 1930’s)
Blending of Egyptian, Aztec, jazz, new industrial

41. Division of American Styles (cont.)
Free Form (1950’s)
Modern, natural, linear
Geometric Mass (1960’s – 1970’s)
Combine line and mass
Very tight geometrical shapes
Contemporary (1980’s – present)

42. Questions?