Carnations and Pinks

1

Carn ation s a nd Pi nk s

W h at ’ s

in a

Name?

C

arnation and pink are common names for Dianthus flowers. Some say they were given the name pink because their petals look pinked, or snipped with a zigzag edge. According to Irish legend, this was the work of fairies who cut the attractive fringe when making their queen a gown of petals. Others say the name came from the Dutch pink-oog, meaning a small twinkling eye. This refers to the dark colored center of some varieties. Interestingly, the color pink was named after the flower to describe one of its characteristic soft rosy shades.

The Pink Fairies, Cicely Mary Barker, England, c. 1940.

Sweetness

B

and

ecause of their strong spicy fragrance, carnations appear in this symbolic painting of the five senses to represent the sense of smell.

Of uncertain origin, clove-scented carnations reportedly were brought to Italy from Spain by the Romans during the first century. They weren’t common elsewhere in Europe until the Crusaders brought them back from North Africa in the 13th century. Not all Dianthus, however, carry this sweet perfume.

The Five Senses, Baugin, France, c. 1630.

2

Spice

Car nat io ns and Pink s

A Sign

of

D

Betrothal

uring the 1400s, the pink or single-flowered carnation became a symbol of betrothal, particularly in northern Europe. Portraits

of young people who were engaged to be married often featured a single blossom held in the hand. This association originated with an old Flemish custom in which brides hid the flower of a pink within their wedding garments for the bridegroom to find.

Lady with a Pink, Hans Memling, Flemish, c. 1465.

The Lady and the Unicorn, tapestry detail from one in the series, Flemish, c. 1480-1500.

Token

T

of

Affection

he ancient custom of crowning heads with wreaths of flowers was revived in Europe during the late Middle Ages. The wreaths were

worn for festive occasions and were exchanged as tokens of love and affection. Carnations and pinks were favorite flowers for these wreaths because of their delicate beauty, spicy fragrance, and long-lasting quality when cut.

3

Carn ation s a nd Pi nk s

The China Pink

I

n China, people also associated flowers with marriage.

One of these was a native annual pink, which sometimes

appeared as a design on ceramics and textiles. Seeds of the China pink, Dianthus chinensis, were brought to Paris by a French missionary returning from China around 1705. Although the flower lacked the spicy fragrance of the familiar carnation, it became popular for its dainty size, long period of bloom, and variety of colors.

Chinese flask, Ming dynasty, early 15th century.

P a s s i o n at e L ov e

I

n southern Spain, the flaming red carnation is the flower of passion and womanhood. Sometimes it is seductively worn in the hair or

placed at the bottom of a plunging neckline. When tucked behind the left ear, it is a sign that the lady is looking for love. The flamenco dancer wraps herself completely with the carnation. The tiered skirts of her costume represent the ruffled petals of this alluring flower.

Gypsy, Joaquin Sorolla, Spain, 1899.

4

Dance in the Novedades Café of Seville, detail, Joaquin Sorolla, Spain, 1914.

Car nat io ns and Pink s

M o t h e r ly L ov e

A

ccording to Christian legend, the pink carnation arose from the tears of the Virgin Mary. Because of this, the flower sometimes appeared

in religious paintings of the Madonna and Child to symbolize Mary’s virtue and purity. Perhaps this is why the carnation has become the traditional flower of Mother’s Day.

Madonna and Child with Saint John, Raphael, Italy, c. 1509-1510.

The Creation of the World and the Expulsion from Paradise, Giovanni di Paolo, Italy, c. 1445.

H e av e n ly L ov e

C

hristians also revered the carnation as a symbol of divine love.

Red varieties reminded them of Christ’s bloody suffering and death upon the cross. The flower’s clove-like scent was also identified with the crucifixion, since the word clove comes from the Latin word for nail. With such symbolism, it is no wonder the carnation was among the flowers thought to grow in the heavenly garden of Paradise.

5

Credits

Barker, Cicely Mary. The Complete Book of the Flower Fairies. London: Penguin Books, 1997.

The Pink Fairies

Bazin, Germain. Les Fleurs, Vues par les Peintres. Paris: La Bibliotheque des Arts, 1984.

The Five Senses

Büttner, Gottfried. The Lady and the Unicorn. Stroud: Hawthorn Press, 1995.

The Lady and the Unicorn

De Vecchi, Pier Luigi. Raffaello La Pittura. Firenze: Giunti Martello, 1981.

Madonna and Child with Saint John

deMontebello,Philippe.MasterpiecesoftheMetropolitanMuseumofArt.NewYork:TheMetropolitanMuseumofArt.Boston,NewYork,Toronto,London:A Bulfinch Press Book/Little, Brown and Company, 1993.

The Creation of the World and the Expulsion from Paradise

Fahy, Everett. Metropolitan Flowers. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, 1982.

Lady with a Pink

Krahl, Regina. Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, Vol. II. London: Sotheby’s Publications, 1986.

Chinese flask

Pickles, Sheila. Le Langage des Fleurs du Temps Jadis. Paris: Solar, 1992.

Carnations, cover

Sorolla, el Pintor de la Luz. Museo de San Carlos, Diciembre 1992—Febrero 1993, Cuidad de México.

Gypsy

SorollaenAndalucia.Abril-Junio1994,FundaciónFondodeCulturadeSevilla,HospitaldelosVenerablesSacerdotes,Sevilla,MinisteriodeCultura.

Dance in the Novedades Café of Seville

This exhibit was made possible by funding from Gale and Ira Drukier and by the Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust.