European Influences on Floral Arrangements
The European Renaissance revitalized all art, and with them, the art of floral decoration. Most arrangements of this time were large, tall, symmetrical and conical in shape. A large mass of flowers were arranged carefully so as to make them look uncrowded, and heavy and tall containers were preferred. It was usual to use bright contrasting colours and the three-colour scheme was more popular.
From the renaissance to the Baroque era, the art of floral arrangements had not really developed as an independent art form. It was then the painters who defined designs of flower arrangements. The English painter, William Hogarth introduced the ‘S’ shape or later called ‘Hogarthian curve’ to floral design. Flowers and foliage were gently coaxed into rhythmical and symmetrical designs that followed the curves of the letter ‘S’. This and the C curvature gave the designs a more elegantly dynamic appearance.
The Baroque style spread through Europe, greatly influencing Belgium and Holland. Old painters created the Flemish style to depict floral designs in their works. The designs they represented had greater mass but more proportion. In France, under the patronage of Louis XIV, floral arrangements tended to be more feminine as well as symmetrical and informal in size and colour with the biggest flowers at the outermost ring. Later Antoinette Poisson, the mistress of Louis XV asked for asymmetric curves, crescent shapes and a more open design with delicate colours with both fresh and dried flowers. Even in the reign of Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette took interest in delicate cool colours and less ornate containers for her floral arrangements.
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With the rise of Napoleon floral designs came to be more masculine than feminine. Huge arrangements depicting the symbols of Napoleon, such as the letter N, the bee, the Empire Star and lions or beehives began to be used in arranging flowers, dried or otherwise.
Towards the end of the Baroque period and in the Georgian period, trade with China opened up, and this brought in considerable change in the floral arrangement designs in Europe. Triadic designs based on a single colour or a single type of flower began to get popular. The tuzzy-muzzy, or the nosegay also gained importance as a centerpiece during this period.
