1

istory istory of of Floral Floral DesignDesign

Objectives:1. To identify the

aesthetic benefits of floral design

2. To become familiar with the history of floral design

3. To understand the origin and development of different styles

2

• Used throughout civilization

• Religious significance

• Personal adornment

• Addition of beauty to dwellings

Significance of FlowersSignificance of Flowers

3

Significance of FlowersSignificance of Flowers

• Special occasions• Symbols of love,

friendship, sympathy and celebration

• Language of flowers

Red Roses symbolize and Red Roses symbolize and communicate lovecommunicate love

4

Why Know the History of Why Know the History of Floral Design?Floral Design?

• To understand the impact of earlier cultures on modern design styles

• To see the derivation of design styles

5

• To be able to create arrangements depicting historical style or design period

6

Classical Period of Floral Classical Period of Floral DesignDesign

Egyptian PeriodEgyptian Period Greek PeriodGreek Period

Roman PeriodRoman Period

Byzantine PeriodByzantine Period

Middle AgesMiddle Ages

7

Egyptian Period Egyptian Period (2800 – 28 B.C.)(2800 – 28 B.C.)

• Styles were simple and orderly

• Wide-mouthed basins or bowls held flowers or fruit

• Wire loops or holes around container rims held flower stems

• Regimented rows and repetition of identical floral groups created patterned designs

• Primary colors dominated

Lotus

8

Greek Period Greek Period (600-146 B.C.)(600-146 B.C.)

• Did not arrange flowers in vases

• Flowers were scattered on the ground for celebrations

• Wreaths and garlands were worn or carried during special occasions

• Heroes, athletes and dignitaries were honored with wreaths

9

Greek PeriodGreek Period• Potted plants were grown

indoors to supply flowers• Professional florists were

hired to create wreaths and decorations

• Cornucopia (horn of plenty) was a symbol of abundance and was used in an upright position

• Grace, simplicity and symbolism characterized Greek design

10

Roman PeriodRoman Period (28BC - 325AD)(28BC - 325AD)

• Continued use of Greek designs

• Wreaths and garlands were more elaborate

• Blossom filled scarves were placed on religious altars

• Flowers were arranged in containers or liknons (baskets with high backs and flattened fronts)

11

Byzantine Period Byzantine Period (320- 600 AD)(320- 600 AD)

• Continued Roman designs• Garlands were twisted narrow bands of fruit,

flowers and foliage• Introduced symmetrical, stylized tree

compositions• Elaborate containers had nearly pointed

bases• Color schemes used neighboring hues with

complementary accents

12

Middle Ages Middle Ages (476 – 1400 AD)(476 – 1400 AD)

• Flowers arranged in vases

• Symmetrical groups in Chinese flasks shows Chinese influence

• Little known about floral designs of this period

• Information found in Persian art, rugs and tapestries

13

European European Periods Periods of Floral of Floral DesignDesign

• Renaissance Period

• Baroque Period• Flemish Period• French Styles• English

Georgian Period• Victorian Period

14

Renaissance PeriodRenaissance Period (1400 – 1600)(1400 – 1600)

• Arrangements were large, tall, pyramidal and symmetrically balanced

• Arrangement was twice the height of container

• Flowers were loose, airy and uncrowded

• Bright colors contrasted with plastered walls

Baroque and Flemish Style Baroque and Flemish Style Period Period

(1600 – 1775 AD)(1600 – 1775 AD)• Classical Renaissance style

gave way to the lavish Baroque style

• Baroque style originated in Italy and spread to Holland and Belgium

• Symmetrical oval shaped designs

• Hogarthian curve or S-curve developed during this period

16

Flemish StyleFlemish Style

Jan van Huysum

• Flemish artists painted floral arrangements, refining the Baroque style

• Better proportioned and more compact

• Flowers were massed into oval shaped arrangements taller than the container

• Many arrangements in paintings could not have existed because the flowers bloomed in different seasons

17

• Influenced European, English and American styles

• Influenced by Baroque art

• Feminine appeal

• Arrangements were bouquets with no design or center of interest

• Topiary designs were introduced TopiaryTopiary

French TraditionFrench Tradition

18

English Georgian PeriodEnglish Georgian Period (1714 – 1760)(1714 – 1760)

• Moved away from formality and symmetry

• Japanese influence affected design

• Tuzzy-muzzy or nosegay was a hand-held bouquet developed at this time

• Nosegays were placed in bowls of water on tables as centerpieces tuzzy-muzzytuzzy-muzzy

19

Victorian Period(1820 – 1901)

• Floral designs were poorly proportioned• Large masses of flowers with no focal point

crowded into containers• Too many colors and flower types created

an unplanned effect• Toward the end of the period, rules were

established for floral design• Skilled designers established floral design

as a professional art

20

History of Oriental StylesHistory of Oriental Styles

Japanese StyleJapanese StyleChinese StyleChinese Style

21

Chinese StylesChinese Styles

• Floral arrangements originally used to decorate Buddhist temples

• Large, symmetrical arrangements with central axis

• Only one or two types of flowers and foliage used

• Bright colors were used

22

Japanese Japanese StylesStyles

• Adopted Chinese style in 6th century and created their own highly refined art form

• Basic styles are Ikenobo, Rikkwa, Shokwa, Nageire, Moribana and Jiyu-Bana

• Ikenobo school of floral art created the style known as Ikebana

• Japanese styles are characterized by linear forms and open spaces

ikenobo

rikkwa

shokwa

0

23

American Floral American Floral Design PeriodsDesign Periods

Early American Period

Colonial Williamsburg Period

American Federal Period

Contemporary Styles

24

Early American PeriodEarly American Period

• Early colonists had little time for flower arranging

• Household utensils (kettles, pitchers, pans, etc.) and baskets were used as containers

• Materials for arrangements were wildflowers, dried flowers and grasses

• Designs were informal and massed

25

Colonial Williamsburg Period (1724 – 1780 AD)

• Trade with Europe influenced floral designs

• Many southern arrangements were copied from European prints and tapestries

• Casual, open massed bouquets were common

• Styles were fan shaped, rectangular or round

• Visual weight concentrated at base of design

26

American Federal PeriodAmerican Federal Period(1780 – 1820)(1780 – 1820)

• Influenced by French styles

• Stressed individual beauty of flowers

• Break from English style

• Flower height was greater than width of arrangement

• Gave way to stuffy, ornate Victorian style

27

Modern American StylesModern American Styles (Late 1800’s – Present)(Late 1800’s – Present)

• Development of floral wire services in late 19th century established design catalogs

• European mass designs were combined with Japanese line designs to create line-mass designs

• Advances in transportation and refrigeration influenced availability of cut flowers from local to world markets

28

1. List three ways flowers have been used throughout history.

2. _____ styles are characterized by linear forms and open spaces.A. Japanese C. FlemishB. Victorian D. Baroque

3. The _____ period made extensive use of wreaths and garlands.A. Egyptian C. GreekB. Victorian D. Byzantine

29

4. Little is known about floral designs of this period.A. Egyptian C. RomanB. Greek D. Middle Ages

5. Designs of this period were masses of flowers with no focal point and poor proportion.A. French Tradition C. Early AmericanB. Victorian D. Chinese

6. The tuzzy-muzzy was developed byA. The Romans C. The FrenchB. Martha Stewart D. The English

30

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

McDaniel, Gary L. Floral Design & McDaniel, Gary L. Floral Design & Arrangement. 3Arrangement. 3rdrd ed. New Jersey: Prentice ed. New Jersey: Prentice

Hall, 1996.Hall, 1996.

Berrall, Julia S. A History of Flower Berrall, Julia S. A History of Flower Arrangement. London: Studio Publications, Arrangement. London: Studio Publications,

1953. 1953.

Sandra Balch – Production CoordinatorSandra Balch – Production CoordinatorJennifer Donaldson – Graphics CoordinatorJennifer Donaldson – Graphics Coordinator

Geoff Scott – Production ManagerGeoff Scott – Production ManagerG.W. Davis – Executive ProducerG.W. Davis – Executive Producer

, MMIVCEV Multimedia, Ltd.