The
sciences where vastly expanding during the Pre-Raphaelite era, and these
scientific and technological advances where incorporated into the paintings of
the Pre-Raphaelites. Their use of new painting materials and pigments are one
example of these technologies.
Another very interesting phenomena happening during the Pre-Raphaelite
time period was an event later called “Orchidelirium” or “Orchid Mania”. These
terms refer to the vast collecting, trading, and eventually breeding of exotic
and/or rare orchids in Victorian Europe. Orchids were one of the curiosities of
the Victorian era, and they were a symbol of wealth and sophistication. I have
attached a link to a really great article on the ‘orchid hunters’ of the time.
The article discusses a collector and nursery cultivator of orchids in London,
Fredrick Sander. Sander was the Royal Orchid Grower to Queen Victoria, and was
in a very lucrative position as orchids were selling like ‘jewels’ at fairs in
London. Sander published two volumes of a book, Reichenbachia, which are both available at the special collections
in Memorial Library, and I highly recommend taking the time to look at them.
They have large, gorgeous colored plates of exotic orchids from Central and South
America. Memorial library has many other great orchid books from the Victorian
era, with equally beautiful illustrations.
I
believe orchids today are still a symbol of sophistication and wealth. Orchids
are often used to celebrate a special occasion. Luckily, there are more laws
today protecting the wild orchids and their habitats. There are estimated to be
around 25,000 species of orchids across the globe, making about one out of
every ten plant species an orchid. That is also about four times the amount of
species of mammals on earth! Orchid species are also found on every continent
(except for the North and South Poles) making them a beautiful spectacle across
the globe.
The
Victorian era was filled with discoveries of the natural world, and the orchid
caught the attention of many. The Pre-Raphaelites were also captivated by the
natural world, and their work accurately portrays their love for nature. Their
strong sense of flower symbolism can be linked the Victorian age of botanical
research. Convent Thoughts by Collins
is a great example of Victorian botanical interests and the Pre-Raphaelite eye
for detail. From trees to each blade of grass, the leaves and petals of the
flowers, this painting has amazing botanical accuracy. This theme is carried
throughout many paintings by the PRB, Ruskin was very interested in the idea of
beauty in natural details. Ruskin believed that nature was the work of God, and
that natural details should be rendered in exacting precision and be truthful
to ‘God’s handiwork’. These beliefs led to the exquisite craftsmanship that the
PRB are known for, which aimed to reflect the beauty of nature to their
viewers.
Here is the article link:http://www.lewisginter.org/blog/2012/04/14/by-hook-or-by-crook-the-plunder-of-orchids-from-the-new-world/
An image from Reichenbachia
https://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artwork.php?artworkid=4477&size=large
![http://www.albion-prints.com/ekmps/shops/albionprint/images/sander-reichenbachia-c1890-lg-folio-orchid-botanical-print-6-[2]-51472-p.jpg](http://www.albion-prints.com/ekmps/shops/albionprint/images/sander-reichenbachia-c1890-lg-folio-orchid-botanical-print-6-%5B2%5D-51472-p.jpg){kind=link}
It is a rather interesting topic. At first I thought orchids or flowers in general are just merely representations of women, or at least, always associated with women, which made sense to me that Victorian times valued gender difference a lot. After reading your blog post, your point that "orchids ...are...a symbol of sophistication and wealth" explains this "orchidelirium" more thoroughly since class difference is also another big issue in Victorian times. Probably we can look at the paintings in the perspective of plants as in lecture, Professor Marshall always mentions, to look at these paintings in the perspective of animals.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Wing
I really enjoy reading your blog entry and the connection you draw between art and science. It is very interesting to learn that how people have started to breed flowers artificially as early as in the Victorian period. It is unexpected, but fun to how Orchids are valued as much as jewels, and was collected by so many important people in the Victorian period. I really like your note on the available resources on campus, this is a great way to share information you have found with others. Another point that I found fascinating is that there are laws today practicing orchids, as you mentioned, and the large number of Orchid species around the world. Overall, I really like your entry, and have learned something new from it!
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