Latin American cultures tend to associate blue with divinity and purity. In these majority Catholic countries, blue is closely tied to the Virgin Mary. Here, blue may also stand for wealth, hope, and good health.
Blue flower
The Blue Flower (Blaue Blume) is a central symbol of Inspiration. In the language of flowers, it stands for desire, love, and the metaphysical striving for the infinite and unreachable.
- 1 Origins of the symbol
- 2 Explanation of the symbol
- 3 Use of the symbol
- 3.1 Wandervogel movement
- 3.2 The German student movement of the 60s
- 3.3 Television, Film, and Theatre
Origins of the symbol
German author Novalis first used the symbol in his unfinished Bildungsroman, entitled Heinrich von Ofterdingen. After contemplating a meeting with a stranger, the young Heinrich von Ofterdingen dreams about a blue flower which calls to him and absorbs his attention.
In the book Heinrich von Ofterdingen the blue flower symbolises the joining of human with nature and the spirit so the understanding of nature and coincident of the self is growing. In the Romantic the meaning of human was a continuation from Humanism and the Age of Enlightenment, but the focus was on the own emotions not on abstract theory. Understanding and thinking rise in the comprehension of Romantic from own individual love. Feeling is based on the self, thinking is based on the self and the development of the self leads the individual person. Also very important is contemplation. About the feeling, the thinking and contemplation personal inward cognition is possible. The process of cognition merge again with own individual love. The self and the nature is in this theory always linked.
ContentsUse of the symbol
Joseph Freiherr von Eichendorff wrote a poem called Die blaue Blume (The blue flower). Adelbert von Chamisso saw the core of Romanticism in the motif, and Goethe searched for the “Urpflanze” or “original plant” in Italy, which in some interpretations could refer to the blue flower. E. T. A. Hoffmann used the Blue Flower as a symbol for the poetry of Novalis and the “holy miracle of nature” in his short tale “Nachricht von den neuesten Schicksalen des Hundes Berganza”.
Walter Benjamin used the image of the blue flower several times in his writing. For example the opening sentence of his essay Dream Kitcsh: “No one really dreams any longer of the Blue Flower. Whoever awakes as Heinrich von Ofterdingen today must have overslept.” Also in his Work of Art essay: “The equipment-free aspect of reality has here become the height of artifice, and the vision of immediate reality the Blue Flower in the land of technology.”
C.S. Lewis, in his autobiographical book, Surprised By Joy, references the “Blue Flower” when speaking of the feelings of longing that beauty ellicited when he was a child of six. He associates it with the German word sehnsucht, and states that this intense longing for things transcendent made him “a votary of the Blue Flower.”
English writer Penelope Fitzgerald’s historical novel The Blue Flower is based on Novalis’s early life. In John le Carré’s 1968 novel A Small Town in Germany, the character Bradfield says, “I used to think I was a Romantic, always looking for the blue flower.” (Pan edition, p. 286 – chap. 17) Substance D, a fictitious drug in Philip K. Dick’s 1977 novel A Scanner Darkly, is derived from a plant with blue flower.
In his fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, American author George R. R. Martin uses the blue flower as a reoccurring symbol to represent young women of the noble House Stark, often with hints to an illicit love affair. In one instance, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen uses blue winter roses to crown the Lady Lyanna Stark as the “Queen of Love and Beauty” at the Tournament of Harrenhal, passing over his own wife, Princess Elia of Dorne.
“Blue Flower” is the name of a song by the British avant-garde pop band of the early 1970s, Slapp Happy, later covered by the 1990s indy rock bands Pale Saints and Mazzy Star. “Blue Flower” is a song by the alternative MC, Kool Keith (AKA Dr. Octagon), on his 1996 album, Dr. Octagonecologyst.
Wandervogel movement
In 1960 Werner Helwig published the book The Blue Flower of the Wandervogel (Die blaue Blume des Wandervogels) a history of the youth movement. Within the movement, a number of folk songs used the motif.
The German student movement of the 60s
In Berlin in 1968, one slogan of the German student movement stated “Schlagt die Germanistik tot, färbt die blaue Blume rot!” (“Strike Germanistics dead, color the blue flower red!”) The discipline of Germanistics was targeted as a sclerotic field, not suited to the needs of the people of the present.
Television, Film, and Theatre
Stanley Kubrick made use of the Blue Flower in his final film, Eyes Wide Shut. Sandor Szavost (Sky Dumont) is wearing one while dancing with Alice Harford (Nicole Kidman).
In the movie follow-up to David Lynch’s television series Twin Peaks, entitled Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, two FBI agents are informed about their upcoming task through a woman named Lil. On her lapel is a tiny, artificial blue rose, clearly symbolic of something; but when Sam asks, Chet simply replies, “But I can’t tell you about that.”
The rapper Kool Keith (in his Dr. Octagon persona) released a single entitled “Blue Flowers” as part of the 1996 album Dr. Octagonecologyst.
Blue flower is featured in the 2005 film Batman Begins. In it, blue flower is used as the source of a fear-intensifying hallucinogenic drug. The drug is used by Ra’s al Ghul and Dr. Jonathan Crane (the Scarecrow), who plan to terrorize Gotham City by weaponizing the drug into a concentrated powder form and release it into the city’s water supply.
Blue flower is again used as the source of the fictitious drug Substance D in the 2006 adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s novel A Scanner Darkly.
James and Ruth Bauer, husband and wife collaborative team, wrote an unconventional music theatre piece entitled The Blue Flower at the turn of the 21st century. Speaking through liberally fictionalized versions of artists Max Beckmann, Franz Marc, and Hannah Hoch as well as pivotal female scientific figure Marie Curie, the piece works with the romantic significance of the blue flower as it meditates on the brutal political and cultural turmoil of World War I, the short lived Weimar Republic, and Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in the Nazi Party.
In Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, blue flower is prominent in the first cut scene where Solid Snake meets up with Naomi at the lab in South America.
Georgia O’Keeffe : Blue Flower Artistic Analysis
Georgia O’Keefe is notorious for her beautiful oil paintings that are predominantly plants and flowers, full of color and depth. My favorite piece is her painting “Blue Flower” . The painting is rather dark and may possess several meaning hidden within her beautiful art.
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This paper examines a cityscape painted by Georgia O’Keeffe, East River from the Shelton Hotel, to determine the value if this painting were to be sold on the secondary market.
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Since the first exhibitions with Alfred Stieglitz’s circle in the 1920’s, Georgia O’Keeffe’s art has always been regarded as distinctively female. The connotations of the essentialist female discourse attributed to O’Keeffe have evolved throughout the 20th century. It has shifted from the male-centred discourse promoted by Stieglitz, which posited O’Keeffe as a sexual yet passive agent, to a discourse of subjective sexuality. Feminist theorists in the 1970’s referred to O’Keeffe as a pioneering woman who claimed her sexual citizenship, by subverting the masculine-feminine/subject-object role traditionally attributed to woman, and thus introducing an idea of “sexed subjectivity”.1 Why, then, did she consistently deny the obviously genital connotations in her art throughout her career? How can we, as contemporary and image saturated readers, negotiate between the obvious sexual connotations in her work and O’Keeffe’s own claims about womanhood and femininity? What are we to make of her flower paintings? Did she contribute at all to the marginal myth of Woman? Is it time to reclaim the sheer ‘cunt-ness’ of her flowers?
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Color and light are the main the elements of Persian painting. These two elements are manifested as inner and outer entity of a single reality, which represents the grace of God in the universe. Considering the verses from the Quran that “Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth”, allegorical and mysterious aspects of light and color have always been considered by Islamic philosophers, sages and mystics. Effects of Islamic philosophy and mysticism on the views of Muslim artist to the art and artistic practice display specific effects of color and light in the Iranian painting for inner observation of color and light through the paintings. Color in Iranian paintings has the light in itself and the light is reflected through colors. In Iranian miniature color is interpreted as light and the artist tries to represent the luminous universe by colors. Colors are pure and glittery. Golden, blue and green which are used with the same purity and they aren’t combined or become more paled or more bold and they were put together. Sometimes they find a state of holiness which its effects still can be seen today. Considering the origins of color in ancient Iran and (prior to Islam), this study attempted to addresses the mysterious allegorical aspects and application of color in the masterpieces of the second school of Safavid Tabriz from the metaphysics viewpoint.
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Blue Flower Meaning & Symbolism Today
Today, blue flowers symbolize a range of meanings and messages, depending on the species. This flexibility makes blue blossoms an ideal addition to floral gifts for a range of occasions.
An association with inspiration and hope makes them a perfect choice for congratulation or achievement gifts. Their association with intimacy and love makes them a beautiful choice for Valentine’s Day or a romantic gift. The 10th wedding anniversary is associated with silver and blue, making blue blossoms a natural choice for this important milestone.
They’re also popular for wedding bouquets and centerpieces. Blue may also be associated with sympathy.
Popular Types of Blue Flowers
Though blue flowers are rather rare in nature, they’re a wonderful choice for floral giving and the home garden. Among the most popular species are:
Iris
This lovely spring flower blooms in a range of blue shades, from the palest baby blue to the deepest navy blue to almost black. When given as a gift, blue irises symbolize love and deep trust.
Delphinium
The delphinium gets its name from the dolphin-like shape of its blossoms. This stunning spike of blue flowers may symbolize strong attachment, new opportunities and expansion, and has a positive connotation when given as a gift.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea’s gorgeous blue color and dramatic round shape make them a perfect addition to wedding bouquets and arrangements; it’s also the flower of the fourth anniversary. Ironically, to the Victorians, hydrangea symbolized having a hard time finding a suitor, but to the Japanese, hydrangea symbolizes forgiveness and honest intent.
Bluebells
With their beautiful bell-shaped clusters of blossoms, bluebells are associated with undying love and gratitude. Their sweet, delicate fragrance make them a welcome addition to floral gifts.
Morning Glory
Not only are morning glory the official flower for those born in September, they also symbolize a pure, strong heart. These vining flowers come in a range of blues, from soft and pale to strong and deep.
Lungwort
Lungwort or pulmonaria stand for joy, devotion, and admiration. A gift of these bright, funnel-shaped blooms says, “you are my life.”
Blue Poppies
The bold, bright blue poppy has an equally bold meaning: Success, luxury and imagination. Use blue poppies to commemorate an important event or key achievements.
Flax (Linum usitatissimum)
This bright blue flower was prized by the ancient Egyptians as a source of oil. Flax flowers are short-lived but beautiful, it’s the national flower of Belarus.
Sweet Pea
In the language of flowers, sweet pea stands for blissful goodbyes and delicate pleasures. Either way, a gift of sweet peas offer a lovely scent along with delicate blooms.
Scabiosa
Scabiosa or pincushions attract butterflies with their long-lasting, almost periwinkle blooms. They also symbolize love and peace.
Blue Flower Meaning FAQ:
What do flower colors symbolize?
Flower color meaning and symbolism date back to ancient times and have evolved to convey sentiments and feelings that words alone could not portray. Today, both the flower type and inherent colors contribute to the meaning and symbolism of a particular bloom.
What is the meaning and symbolism of blue flowers?
In floriography, blue symbolizes affection, desire, love, inspiration, trust, purity, tranquility, or sympathy.
What are blue flowers used for?
Blue flowers are associated with intimacy and love, which makes them a beautiful choice for Valentine’s Day or a romantic gift. The 10th wedding anniversary is associated with silver and blue, making blue blossoms a natural choice for this important milestone. Blue flowers are also popular for wedding bouquets and centerpieces. Blue may also be associated with sympathy.
What does the blue rose symbolize?
The blue rose represents mystery and is often used to tell someone that they’re unique and extraordinary.
