Artware Fineart has dated this Antique Botanical Oil Painting to the 18th Century.
A White Spider Lily and Butterfly
oil on canvas
87 x 53 cm.
This plant reveals a very beautiful blooming during the entire summer season. It requires heat to grow in full earth: that’s why growing it in warmer oceanic climates is common.It’s known that flowers have meanings, which vary in different cultures. You can express your emotions and thoughts through them. This means you should be cautious when you present someone with a bouquet. However, this doesn’t mean everyone knows the language of flowers.
Back in the Victorian Era, flowers were used as a means of communications. People used them as codes for what they wanted to say. But don’t think that they were the only ones. The Chinese and Japanese incorporated flowers in their art in culture long before the British. There’s even a Japanese equivalent of the language of flowers — hanakotoba. The fragile beauties are dominant in their art, clothes, even in legal documents and the national symbol. Even the art of Ikebana is an expression of sentiments and emotions through a combination between nature and art. Here are some flowers and their meanings:
There are many species of lilies and they represent different things. The white lily is a symbol of chastity and purity. Lycoris is a genus of about 20 species of perennials in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to Eastern Asia, mainly China and Japan.Most species have flowers with narrow, strap-like petals and long stamens that give them their spidery appearance. The flowers come in many colors and will bring cheer to everyone who sees it!
The genus was named after the Roman actress and mistress of Mark Antony, Lycoris.The plants are often called Spider Lilies because of their shape. Lycoris symbolizes death and reincarnation.The most popular species in the genus is Lycoris radiata, commonly known as “Red Spider Lily”, “Red Magic Lily” or “Hurricane Lily”.The flowers appear on their own, unfettered by foliage and it’s always lovely to see these flowers because no leaves are present when the blooms appear.
In Japan, Lycoris radiata is known as “Higanbana“, which roughly means “The flower that blooms during the (fall) equinox”. It blooms around the time of the autumn equinox in late September to early fall all across Japan.The flower is also referred to as “Manjushage”, which means “The flower in heaven”. It is believed that its bright colors and striking appearance lead souls into the afterlife. Higanbana is one of the most iconic autumn flowers in Japan and is often seen in temple precincts and cemeteries. Japan’s largest Higanbana field is located at Kinchakuda, in Hidaka City, Saitama. It is one of the largest parks in Japan with over 5 million of these flowers blooming like fireworks against the soft blue sky. Most of the Lycoris species do not bloom like other plants. Instead, they bloom on flower stalks with no leaves present, hence the common name Surprise Lilies or Naked Ladies. The flowers appear on leafless stems in late summer, while the leaves die back before the flowers emerge or appear afterwards. The flowers appear from nowhere, since there is no foliage to indicate where the bulb is planted, so don’t be surprised if they magically pop up in the middle of the yard!
The bulbs of Lycoris radiata are used in traditional Chinese medicine. The plant is used to treat a variety of illnesses, including ulcers, swellings, stomach and liver problems, rheumatism and epilepsy. It has also been shown to have anticancer properties. They are extensively cultivated as ornamental plants in Eastern Asia.
The 18th century Botanical artist Pierre-Joseph Redouté 1759 –1840 painted many varities of Lilies including Spider Lilys.
Artist biography
Pierre-Joseph Redo
Artware Fineart has dated this Antique Botanical Oil Painting to the 18th Century.
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Circle of Pierre-joseph Redouté 1759 –1840 A White Spider Lily and Butterfly oil on Canvas 87 X 53 Cm.
