Floral Paintings: Your top 10 favourites

We all have our definitions of what art is. For some, it’s Tracey Emin’s ‘My Bed’ or Damien Hirst’s ‘Mother and Child (Divided)’. For others it might be Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’. But whatever your preference, I think most of us can agree that a plant geek’s favourite art has to include floral paintings of some sort (or drawings, or sculptures, or prints, etc.).

Floral art is recorded as far back as 1500 BC, with the oldest known depictions of flowers found in beautiful Santorini. Researchers are unsure of what the flowers are, as obviously plants have evolved over the last century and a half.

Since then, many artists have used flowers and plants in still life paintings, portraits, landscapes, and even tattoos. If you’ve seen my collection of body art, you’ll know that I’m a big fan.

It’s wonderful to see the inspiration that plants have provided over the centuries, and are still providing today.

Last month, I asked you what your favourite floral paintings were. I didn’t think I’d get such a huge response, but some of you are obviously big art fans!

Here are my top 10 floral paintings from your suggestions:

  1. Almond Blossom by Vincent van Gogh (thanks to @ShelleyP1971)

2. Tiger in a Tropical Storm (Surprised!) by Henri Rousseau (thanks to Bennet Smith)

3. Irises by Ogata Kōrin (thanks to @londnplantology)

4. Dutch still life paintings (thanks to @andrewsylvesr)

5. Ophelia by John Everett Millais (thanks to @a_real_gent)

6. De tuin by Jacobus van Looy (thanks to @frank69huibers)

7. Peony Gardenia by Mia Tarney (thanks to @skog200)

8. Oriental Poppies by Georgia O’Keeffe (thanks to @msedollyp)

9. Summer Time by Diana Watson (thanks to @lisamjthomas)

10. Great Piece of Turf by Albrecht Dürer (thanks to @loonicat)

What’s your favourite floral painting? Let me know in the comment section below, or tweet me @mrplantgeek!

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