Florilegium
Encyclopedia
In medieval Latin
a florilegium (plural florilegia) was a compilation of excerpts from other writings. The word is formed the Latin flos (flower) and legere (to gather): literally a gathering of flowers, or collection of fine extracts from the body of a larger work. It was adapted from the Greek anthologia (ἀνθολογία) "anthology
", with the same etymological meaning. Medieval florilegia were systematic collections of extracts taken mainly from the writings of the Church Fathers
from early Christian authors, also pagan philosophers such as Aristotle, and sometimes classical writings. A prime example is the Manipulus florum of Thomas of Ireland
, which was completed at the beginning of the fourteenth century. The purpose was to take passages that illustrated certain topics, doctrines or themes. After the medieval period, the term was extended to apply to any miscellany or compilation of literary or scientific character.
The term florilegia also applied literally to a treatise on flowers or medieval books that are dedicated to ornamental rather than medicinal or utilitarian plants. The emergence of botanical illustration as a genre of art dates back to the 15th century, when herbals (books describing the culinary and medicinal uses of plants) were printed containing illustrations of flowers. As printing techniques advanced, and new plants came to Europe from Ottoman Turkey in the 16th century, wealthy individuals and botanic gardens commissioned artists to record the beauty of these exotics in ‘Florilegia’. Florilegia flourished in the 17th century when they were created to portray rare and exotic plants from far afield. Modern florilegia seek to record collections of plants, often now endangered, from within a particular garden or place.
Florilegia are among the most lavish and expensive books to produce because of all the work that goes into them.
The word applies especially to:
Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the liturgical language of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but also as a language of science, literature, law, and administration. Despite the clerical origin of many of its authors,...
a florilegium (plural florilegia) was a compilation of excerpts from other writings. The word is formed the Latin flos (flower) and legere (to gather): literally a gathering of flowers, or collection of fine extracts from the body of a larger work. It was adapted from the Greek anthologia (ἀνθολογία) "anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
", with the same etymological meaning. Medieval florilegia were systematic collections of extracts taken mainly from the writings of the Church Fathers
Church Fathers
The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were early and influential theologians, eminent Christian teachers and great bishops. Their scholarly works were used as a precedent for centuries to come...
from early Christian authors, also pagan philosophers such as Aristotle, and sometimes classical writings. A prime example is the Manipulus florum of Thomas of Ireland
Thomas of Ireland
Thomas of Ireland , known as Thomas Hibernicus, not to be confused with the Franciscan friar Thomas de Hibernia , was an Irish writer...
, which was completed at the beginning of the fourteenth century. The purpose was to take passages that illustrated certain topics, doctrines or themes. After the medieval period, the term was extended to apply to any miscellany or compilation of literary or scientific character.
The term florilegia also applied literally to a treatise on flowers or medieval books that are dedicated to ornamental rather than medicinal or utilitarian plants. The emergence of botanical illustration as a genre of art dates back to the 15th century, when herbals (books describing the culinary and medicinal uses of plants) were printed containing illustrations of flowers. As printing techniques advanced, and new plants came to Europe from Ottoman Turkey in the 16th century, wealthy individuals and botanic gardens commissioned artists to record the beauty of these exotics in ‘Florilegia’. Florilegia flourished in the 17th century when they were created to portray rare and exotic plants from far afield. Modern florilegia seek to record collections of plants, often now endangered, from within a particular garden or place.
Florilegia are among the most lavish and expensive books to produce because of all the work that goes into them.
The word applies especially to:
- a collection of botanically accurate paintings of plants, done by botanical illustratorsBotanical illustratorA botanical illustrator is a person who paints, sketches or otherwise illustrates botanical subjects such as trees and flowers. The job requires great artistic skill, attention to fine detail, and technical botanical knowledge...
from life - a patristic anthologyPatristic anthologyA patristic anthology, commonly called a florilegium, is a systematic collections of excerpts from the works of the Church Fathers and other ecclesiastical writers of the early period, compiled with a view to serve dogmatic or ethical purposes...
in Christian literature - the title of various literary anthologies, e.g., by Johannes Stobaeus
- the title of certain collections of musical compositions, e.g., by Georg MuffatGeorg Muffat-Life:He was born in Megève, Savoy, , and of Scottish descent. He studied in Paris with Jean Baptiste Lully between 1663 and 1669, then became an organist in Molsheim and Sélestat. Later, he studied law in Ingolstadt, afterwards settling in Vienna...
- a classical music ensemble called FlorilegiumFlorilegium early music ensembleFlorilegium is an early music ensemble based in London. The Director, Ashley Solomon co-founded the group in 1991, and Florilegium's performances range from intimate chamber music to large-scale orchestral repertoire...
Florilegium Societies
- The Royal Botanic Gardens, KewRoyal Botanic Gardens, KewThe Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
opened a new gallery in 2008 to display works of botanical illustration alongside pieces from the collection of Dr Shirley Sherwood. The Shirley SherwoodShirley SherwoodDr. Shirley Sherwood is a collector of, and author of books about, botanical illustrations. The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, opened on 19 April 2008, at Kew Gardens houses her collection, and is named after her. It is the first gallery in the world dedicated solely to botanical art...
Gallery was the first public gallery in the world dedicated to showing botanical art. Kew’s archives contain 200,000 works of botanical art, including pieces by 18th and 19th century masters, along with works by contemporary artists. - The Royal Botanic Gardens, SydneyRoyal Botanic Gardens, SydneyThe Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Australia, are the most central of the three major botanical gardens open to the public in Sydney....
formed a Florilegium Society to create a collection of paintings of the significant plants growing in the estates of the Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust. - The Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens, MelbourneRoyal Botanic Gardens, MelbourneThe Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne are internationally renowned botanical gardens located near the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on the south bank of the Yarra River. They are 38 hectares of landscaped gardens consisting of a mix of native and non-native vegetation including over...
created in 2001 a Florilegium of significant plants growing in the Gardens. This 21st century florilegium is held digitally and photographically, the original works are not kept. - The Sheffield Botanical GardensSheffield Botanical GardensThe Sheffield Botanical Gardens are botanical gardens situated off Ecclesall Road in Sheffield, England, with 5,000 species of plant in 19 acres of land....
established a Florilegium Society which aims to produce an archive of botanical illustrations of the plants of Sheffield Botanical Gardens.
See also
- Banks' FlorilegiumBanks' FlorilegiumBanks' Florilegium is a collection of copperplate engravings of plants collected by Sir Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander while they accompanied Captain James Cook on his voyage around the world between 1768 and 1771...
- Highgrove FlorilegiumHighgrove FlorilegiumThe Highgrove Florilegium is a two-volume book of botanical illustrations recording plants in the garden of Charles, Prince of Wales at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire. The volumes, published in 2008 and 2009, contain watercolours painted by invited leading botanical artists from around the...
- List of florilegia and botanical codices
- Botanical illustrationBotanical illustrationBotanical illustration is the art of depicting the form, colour, and details of plant species, frequently in watercolour paintings. These are often printed with a botanical description in book, magazines, and other media...