Vintage Art Appreciation: Cyclamens for Love

…The shaking aspect of the sea
And man’s defenceless bare face
And cyclamens putting their ears back.
Long, pensive, slim-muzzled greyhound buds
Dreamy, not yet present,
Drawn out of earth
At his toes.
Dawn-rose
Sub-delighted, stone engendered
Cyclamens, young cyclamens
Arching
Waking, pricking their ears…
― D.H. Lawrence, Sicilian Cyclamens

The name cyclamen comes from the Latin "cyclamnos" which in turn comes from the Greek "kuklaminos" and "kuklos" which means cycle, circle, or wheel. Cyclamen species are native primarily to the Mediterranean region: Greece, Italy, Cypress, Crete, Turkey, Lebanon and Israel (where they are the national flower). Some species have radiated from this center of diversity north to Belarus, south to Somalia, west to Libya, Spain and France, and east to Iran. [Source: Plant Delights]

A Chinese fairy tale tells the story of the origin of the cyclamen flower. Chang’e stole an elixir of immortality from her husband Hou Yi (the God of Archery) and then escaped to the Moon, becoming known as the Goddess of the Moon. The jade rabbit was her faithful companion. Chang’e, dearly missing her family, one day decided to pay a visit to Hou Yi. The jade rabbit, giving them privacy, chose to play in the garden. There he met a gardener and grew very fond of him. When it was time to return to the Moon, the jade rabbit took a flower seed from his ear and gifted it to the gardener. This seed sprouted into a cyclamen flower whose petals resemble the ears of a rabbit. Cyclamen is also called the ‘bunny-ear flower’ in the Far East. [Source: Pansy Maiden]

Due to its tuber which allows the cyclamen plant to withstand even the most difficult conditions, the cyclamen flower is regarded as a symbol of deep love. This is why these flowers make wonderful gifts on Valentine’s Day, along with roses. Giving someone cyclamen is a way of expressing genuine love. In Japan, this flower is called the ‘Holy Flower of Love’ and is considered as Cupid’s love child. This is another reason why it’s associated with Valentine’s Day.[Source: Symbol Sage]

Going into February and the season of love, I hope you will find an opportunity to share a cyclamen or two with a treasured partner, friend or family member. These wonderful flowers can be grouped on a windowsill or tabletop to brighten up a room during these gray, cold months. Then, as the weather warms up, plant them in a shady corner of your garden to enjoy until the autumn.

Love starts as a feeling,
But to continue is a choice;
And I find myself choosing you
More and more every day.
― Justin Wetch, Bending The Universe
Paintings:
Top ― "Cyclamens in Front of a Wallpaper Background," painted in 1935 by Josef Jungwirth (1869–1950). Originally found on Wikimedia. Digitally enhanced version of the painting as a 4" x 6" @ 300 ppi JPEG here.
Bottom ― "Cyclamen," painted in 1935 by Endre Rozsda (1913–1999). Originally found on Wikimedia. Digitally enhanced version of the painting as a 8" x 10" @ 300 ppi JPEG here.


Digitally enhanced reproductions of public domain fine art are shared under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Printable Vintage Art: by Crow on a Roundpole Fence by Bruno Liljefors

Crow on a Roundpole Fence, 1887
by Bruno Liljefors (1860–1939)

☀ ☁ ☀ ☁ ☀
Roads Go Ever On

Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever ever on,
Under cloud and under star.
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen,
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green,
And trees and hills they long have known.

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone.
Let others follow, if they can!
Let them a journey new begin.
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Painting originally found on Wikimedia. Digitally enhanced version of the painting as an 11" x 8" @ 300 ppi JPEG here.


Digitally enhanced reproductions of public domain fine art are shared under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Printable Vintage Art: Garden Idyll by Hugo Charlemont

I am an optimist! What a wonderful time it is to be alive, here at the turn of a milestone century! With that frame of reference, my plea is that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that as we go through life, we “accentuate the positive.” I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment and endorse virtue and effort.
― Gordon B. Hinckley, Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes

Painting is titled "Garden Idyll" by Hugo Charlemont (1850–1939). Originally found on Wikimedia. Digitally enhanced version of the painting as an 8" x 11" @ 300 ppi JPEG here.


Digitally enhanced reproductions of public domain fine art are shared under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.