Roses have long had a place of prominance in art and history. The appeal of these beautiful and graceful flowers is long-reaching.
When creating the Alba Rose Plant Profile I came across some fascinating cultural information about this classification of roses. Becuase alba roses were so popular during the Renaissance era they were often featured in paintings from that period of history. Here are a few examples.
Artists often included the Alba rose in paintings of the Madonna like this painting “Madonna in the Rosary” by Stefano Da Zevio painted around 1410. The painting details the alba roses forming a hedge fence around the edge of the painting. (Click on the painting itself to see an up close picture where the roses are visible.)
Shakespeare often mentioned roses in his plays and sonnets and probably the most famous mention of roses is from the play Romeo and Juliet (2.2.45-7) "What's in a name? that which we call a rose or his Sonnet 130 "I have seen roses damask'd, red and white; But no such roses see I in her cheeks..." In fact, it is Shakespeare who is first credited with the use of actual white and red roses to depict the warring factions of the two Houses during the "War of the Roses".
By any other name would smell as sweet."
Roses have been cultivated and admired in gardens for so many centuries that their place in historic writings, paintings and other art forms is a long-standing tradition. What other mentions of roses throughout history have stood out to you? Stop by the discussion forum and share your thoughts with us!
