Lee Friedlander
Category: Flowers
White Irises against Blue Background
Piet Mondrian, ca. 1909
Bouquet du jour
orchid
1845, introduced by John Lindley in “School Botanty,” from Mod.L. Orchideæ (Linnaeus), the plant’s family name, from L. orchis, a kind of orchid, from Gk. orkhis (gen. orkheos) “orchid,” lit. “testicle,” from PIE *orghi-, the standard root for “testicle” (cf. Avestan erezi “testicles,” Arm. orjik, M.Ir. uirgge, Ir. uirge “testicle,” Lith. erzilas “stallion”). The plant so called because of the shape of its root. Earlier in Eng. in L. form, orchis (1562). Marred by extraneous -d- in attempt to extract the Latin stem.
Pulsatilla alpina
Pulsatille des Alpes, Pulsatille blanche, Anémone des Alpes, Anémone blanche, Poil de rat
Les Roses Blanches
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Cie des Arts Photomécaniques, Paris
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C’était un gamin, un gosse de Paris,
Pour famille il n’avait qu’ sa mère Une pauvre fille aux grands yeux rougis, Par les chagrins et la misère Elle aimait les fleurs, les roses surtout, Et le cher bambin tous les dimanche Lui apportait de belles roses blanches, Au lieu d’acheter des joujoux La câlinant bien tendrement, Il disait en les lui donnant : “C’est aujourd’hui dimanche, tiens ma jolie maman Voici des roses blanches, toi qui les aime tant Va quand je serai grand, j’achèterai au marchand Toutes ses roses blanches, pour toi jolie maman” Au printemps dernier, le destin brutal, Vint frapper la blonde ouvrière Elle tomba malade et pour l’hôpital, Le gamin vit partir sa mère Un matin d’avril parmi les promeneurs N’ayant plus un sous dans sa poche Sur un marché tout tremblant le pauvre mioche, Furtivement vola des fleurs La marchande l’ayant surpris, En baissant la tête, il lui dit : “C’est aujourd’hui dimanche et j’allais voir maman J’ai pris ces roses blanches elle les aime tant Sur son petit lit blanc, là-bas elle m’attend J’ai pris ces roses blanches, pour ma jolie maman” La marchande émue, doucement lui dit, “Emporte-les je te les donne” Elle l’embrassa et l’enfant partit, Tout rayonnant qu’on le pardonne Puis à l’hôpital il vint en courant, Pour offrir les fleurs à sa mère Mais en le voyant, une infirmière, Tout bas lui dit “Tu n’as plus de maman” Et le gamin s’agenouillant dit, Devant le petit lit blanc : “C’est aujourd’hui dimanche, tiens ma jolie maman Voici des roses blanches, toi qui les aimais tant Et quand tu t’en iras, au grand jardin là-bas Toutes ces roses blanches, tu les emporteras” ~~~
Interprète: Berthe Sylva
Paroles: Charles Louis Pothier Musique: Léon Raiter, 1926 |
Bouquets by P. Portier
RANUNCULUS ASIATICUS
The Asiatic Ranunculus, or Garden Ranunculus, exclusively the ranunculus of florists, a native of the Levant, has been cultivated in Europe for almost 300 years. The cultivated varieties are extremely numerous, brilliantly colored, and very symmetrical in form. The ranunculus is propagated by seed, by offset tubers, or by dividing the clusters of tubers. The roots are often taken up in summer, after the leaves die, and kept in a dry place till the beginning of the ensuing winter or spring. The ranunculus loves a free and rich soil. Double-flowered varieties of some other species, with taller stems and smaller white or yellow flowers, are cultivated in flower-gardens, sometimes under the name of Bachelors’ Buttons.
Chambers’s Encyclopædia
florigraphy
FLOWERS, Language Of, or Florigraphy. The language of flowers is supposed to have been used among the earliest nations; but the Greeks are the first users of whom we have any trustworthy records. They carried it to a very high degree, using flowers as types of everything interesting, public as well as private. The Romans also had a well-developed flower language, and its study was revived during the Middle Ages, when chivalry became preeminent; and it received great development at the hands of the Roman church. Flowers have had an important part in all mythologies. Oak was the patriot’s crown, bay the poet’s, and the myrtle the crown for beauty. The olive was the token of peace, as the ivy was the emblem of Bacchus. The significance of many flowers is derived from their properties. The amaranth has been selected to typify immortality because of its duration. The rose, by universal suffrage made the queen of the flowers, has a symbolism varying with its color: a single red rose signifies “I love you”; the small white bridal rose typifies happy love; and the moss-rose bud a confession of love. The following are some wellknown flowers, with their symbolism as used in poetry:
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| New international encyclopedia, Volume 8 |
Seghers’ Garlands
Flower Photography
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| E. Louise Marillier ~ Peonies, 1912 [Art Gallery of New South Wales] |
To anyone who is fond of flowers this is one of the most interesting branches of photography, although not without its many difficulties. At the request of the editor of Photo-era I will tell, by describing my modus operandi, how some of them may be overcome.
One of the most essential things required is a good background. I have several which I have painted in oil-colors on artist’s large-sized canvasses. My favorite is shaded from rather light gray to warm gray-brown.
Flowers should always be gathered fresh and put into water for two hours before arranging them. This is best done on a deal-top table; it is a trying ordeal and sometimes much patience is required. As it is very difficult to get the blossoms and foliage into satisfactory focus, a little wire or a pin has to be resorted to if the exposure must be long, for I find the flowers are inclined to move…
Photo-era magazine, The American Journal of Photography Volume XXII, January 1909, to June 1909, published by Wilfred A. French
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| Photographer unknown ~ Hibiscus, ca. 1915 |
tout ceci est magnifique 