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Theme: vitality
There is no more obvious symbol of vitality and resurrection than the annual regeneration of flowering plants, their death transformed into an eternal promise of renewal.
All spring flowers convey vitality, and several were linked by name with beautiful and energetic heroes, such as Hyacinthus and Narcissus.
In Islamic mythology, red tulips recalled the death of the lovesick hero Farhad and the triumph of his rival.
Yellow is a colour of warmth, which may explain our instinctive reaction to sunflowers. It is an attribute which Van Gogh recognised, and emphasised by adding extra yellow to his paintings.
The shape of sunflowers mirrors that of the sun, and for many civilisations they embodied a lifeline between earth and sky, and a promise of energy and renewal. The same was true for marigolds in Europe, chrysanthemums in the East, dahlias in Central America, and yellow daisies in Africa. |
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