Floral ornament background. Floral ornament in different historical periods. There are four types of ornaments
§1. Emergence of the ornament. Basic concepts.
The ornament is a very ancient type of DPI. The language of each ornament is associated with the history and culture of the people. The creators of ornaments always turned to nature, using what they saw. Ornament is music. The rows of its lines are like the melody of some one eternal song in front of the universe.
Ornament is a part of our spiritual life, expressing a person's need for beauty. Having expressed in its rhythms an emotional attitude to life, ornamental art can become a kind of imprint of the psychological make-up of people of a certain era, nation, social stratum. Each nationality retained in the ornament the most characteristic, closest to the national character, aesthetic tastes, concepts of beauty. Folk craftsmen created patterns that were distinguished by a wide variety of individual motifs, where real observations of the nature around them intertwined with fabulous ideas.
Basic concepts:
· Ornament (pattern)- consistent repetition of individual pictorial motifs or their group.
· rapport- repetition of a part of the ornament (a group of elements) without any change in linear dimensions and shapes.
The ornament can be rapport And without rapport.
The ornament, being one of the most ancient types of fine arts, has retained not only traditions, but also the deep symbolism of ornamental motifs, compositional design and color solution. By studying the ornament of any of the peoples, you can learn more deeply about its history, traditions, worldview.
The main means of expressiveness of the ornament:
- Rhythm Rhythmic alternation of similar or contrasting elements.
- A creatively thoughtful combination of individual components is called composition and consists of the alternation of individual figures and their rows, arranged horizontally, vertically and diagonally.
- It plays a very important role in all types of creativity - coloring harmonious combination of colors and their shades.
Classification of ornaments.
ornament type - classification of ornaments according to design features (stripe, rosette, mesh);
Ornament type - stripe. Ornament, located vertically, horizontally or around the circumference in the form of a strip, ribbon. The ornament in the strip is also called: ribbon, garland, frieze.
Ornament type - rosette. Rosette (from the word "rose" - a centrally symmetrical or mirror-symmetrical ornament.
Ornament type - mesh. The rapport of the mesh ornament can be either a stripe or a rosette, repeating many times, they completely fill the plane with themselves, as if they are tightened with a net.
Type of ornament : classification of ornaments according to the features of pictorial motifs (geometric. Floral ...).
Geometric ornament. At the heart of the geometric ornament are such pictorial motifs as geometric shapes and bodies (lines, zig-zags, dots, squares, circles, stars ...).
Floral ornament. Floral ornaments are based on pictorial motifs of floral themes (flowers, leaves, shoots, buds, trees, etc.).
zoomorphic ornament."Zoo" is an animal, "morph" is a form. The zoomorphic ornament is based on pictorial motifs from the kingdom of fauna (animals, birds, insects, fantastic animal creatures, etc.).
Anthropomorphic (humanoid) ornament."Anthropos" - a person, "morph" - a form. The anthropomorphic ornament is based on images of human figures, anthropoid gods, angels, and masks.
Font (calligraphic) ornament. The font ornament is based on pictorial motifs associated with letters, fonts, calligraphy - Russian and Arabic script, initial letters, initials, hieroglyphs, etc.
Heraldic (symbolic) ornament.
Heraldic ornamentation is based on motifs associated with the image of coats of arms, emblems, signs, symbols.
Sign(in art, design) - the pictorial part of the logo, as a rule, also including the name (written - alphabetic or hieroglyphic - part, often also artistically designed) of the product, service, organization, event or person being marked.
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign
Symbol in art there is a characteristic of the artistic image in terms of its meaningfulness, the expression of a certain artistic idea. Unlike allegory, the meaning of a symbol is inseparable from its figurative structure and is distinguished by the inexhaustible ambiguity of its content.
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbol
Coat of arms (Polish herb from German Erbe - inheritance) - an emblem, a distinctive sign, inherited, which depicts objects symbolizing the owner of the coat of arms (person, estate, clan, city, country, etc.). Heraldry is the study of coats of arms.
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat of arms
Braided ornament or "braid".
At the heart of a braided ornament (braiding) there are always pictorial motifs of weaving, regardless of what elements are involved in the ornament (vegetative, zoomorphic, etc.).
Practical work №1:
WOVEN ORNAMENT (with elements of zoomorphic and anthropomorphic) - “teratological style.
Historical information (read):
Wicker ornament in Russian books appeared with the advent of books from Bulgaria. It includes tightly intertwined harnesses or belts. Complex weaving of a cord-like appearance, tied in many places with knots. Basically, the headpieces were drawn in this way: the circles are repeated and connected with patterned ligature and knots, the initials are multicolored.
Wicker ornament "Balkan type". This is an interlacing of circles, eights, rectangles and squares. Strict symmetry. The "Balkan ornament" came to Rus' in the 15th century, when the Turks were fighting for the Balkan Peninsula. Many artists and scribes left for Rus'. By the end of the century in the court workshops of Moscow, a version of the luxurious “Balkan” ornament with multi-color coloring was developed. And a lot of gold. In the book ornament of the XIII-XIV centuries. appeared "monstrous" style. The Greek word teratos means monster. A tight weave of ribbons ending in snake heads. Legs, tongues, heads, tails, wings of animals are entangled with ribbon weaving. A similar ornament is known among the Balkan Slavs, in Scandinavia, Ireland, and on many works of the Romanesque style from different regions of Europe. This stylistic unity is based on a common origin from the animal ornament of the Eastern European nomads of the era of the migration of peoples. This art arose in an environment of major movements, when significant role played the contacts of European barbarians with the nomads of the Eurasian steppes.
The image of a predatory beast is most popular in ancient Russian applied art. In some cases, we can talk about a certain desire to convey the image of a lion, which is often mentioned in ancient Russian written sources - a brave and strong beast, the king of beasts. Images of real and fantastic animals play an important role in ancient Russian art. They decorated the temples of the cities of Vladimir and Suzdal, jewelry: bracelets and hoops. Used in the book trade, starting with the Ostromir Gospel.
Methodical instructions:
- Make a copy of the teratological ornament, choosing a pattern of your choice (Internet, books, albums, cards).
- Sheet size A4, overall dimensions of the ornament no more than 150x220mm.
- Technique - achromatic graphics.
Floral ornament, which flourished in the Yakut folk art of the 19th century, has no analogies among the native Siberian ornamental cultures. The presence in the ornamentation of the Yakuts of plant and floral motifs also distinguishes it from the ornamental cultures of the peoples of the North and more southern neighbors belonging to the Mongolian-speaking ethnic group. In the floral ornament of the Yakuts, its Turkic-speaking nature was most clearly expressed, i.e. poetic perception of the world based on the spiritualization of plant natural forces, veneration of the spirits of herbs, trees, plants, which corresponds to traditional beliefs and folklore ideas. The floral ornament is most pronounced in the Yakut silver items: bracelets, belts, decorative solution front saddle bows. It is represented by various modifications of a winding stem with shoots, leaves, flowers extending from it, as well as a flourishing lyre motif and rosettes with plant filling.
One of the features of the Yakut floral ornament is the absence of a motif of herbs and fruits. The emphasis on the idea of growth and flowering, rather than fruiting, is obviously associated with local natural conditions: the rapid growth of vegetation during the white nights and the lack of traditions of fruit gardening on permafrost. The idea of fruiting was embodied in the geometrized forms of the ornament with pastoral semantics, in contrast to the Slavic ornament, where it is expressed in plant forms associated with the traditions of agricultural cultures. Another feature of the Yakut floral ornament is the absence of the carpet principle of composition, which is so characteristic of the floral ornamentation of the peoples of the Caucasus and Central Asia. The Yakut ornament does not know the motif of weaving, it never merges with the background, its placement on the object is always associated with the shape and design of the thing. The floral ornament of the Yakuts is also alien to the symbolism of color, which is characteristic of the folk art of the Mongolian-speaking peoples. At the same time, a number of plant and flower motifs among the Yakuts are stylistically close to the floral ornament of the folk art of the Caucasus, Central Asia, Ancient Rus', with its roots in the art of Asia Minor. The central motif of this group of ornaments is a flourishing lyre, associated with the motif of the tree of life and the circle of mythological representations of the Yakuts. We associate its use in the center of cheprak and kychim embroidery with the triad of goddesses of the Yakut pantheon: Aiyysyt, Ieyehsit and Aan Alakhchyn. The latter lives in sacred tree Aal-Luk-Mas (tree of life), which is the source of abundance; her children are innumerable spirits of trees and herbs. As a filler for the lyre, both simple and complex motifs of a floral pattern act: a herringbone, a shamrock, a palmette of the Middle Eastern type, a conditional flower with an underlined calyx, corolla and core. The image of flowers in the ornament has a profile character. Herringbone and shamrock motif, possibly of local origin; it is noted in the embroidery of other peoples of Siberia, in particular, the Evenks, in whom it is associated with the local flora. The lotus motif goes back to ancient Egyptian ornamental culture. It is not found in Russian floral ornament. The tulip motif may reflect ties with Persia, Iran through Central Asia. A lush flower, correlated by some researchers with the Mediterranean area of culture, is inherent in both ancient Russian and Caucasian art. Perhaps this is a modification of Sardaana, a flower from the lily family, beloved in Central Yakutia.
Yakut silver items are characterized by the motif of a curved stem with shoots, leaves, and flowers extending from it. Compositionally and stylistically, this motif is close to the Dagestan floral ornament of the tutta (twig, tree) and markharai (spiral-shaped stems, thickets) styles. However, the Dagestan floral ornament reflected the circle of Muslim ideas and was often combined with a bizarre script of religious texts. In the Yakut ornament, there is no motif of interweaving of stems, the motif of birds, as part of the ornamental composition. The profile image of a flower in Dagestan ornamentation is distinguished by a whimsically elongated core, sometimes twisted into a curl. Yakut ornamentation is freer and more constructive. Even in lush plant compositions, the logical hierarchy of ornamental elements is preserved, often there are simple geometric motifs that perform a clear constructive function.
In general, the Yakut floral and floral ornament reflects the oriental taste, manifested in the selection and combinations of floral patterns, which allows us to conclude that this group of ornaments has an “oriental” style. The figurative structure of plant ornamentation is associated with the Yakut ideas about the flowering earth, the ancient goddesses of the matriarchy period, personified in Yakut mythology.
lyre pattern
Central motif plant group ornaments is a flourishing lyre (Fig. 6), associated with the motif of the tree of life and the circle of mythological representations of the Yakuts. We associate its use in the center of cheprak and kychim embroidery with the triad of goddesses of the Yakut pantheon: Aiyysyt, Ieyehsit and Aan Alakhchyn. As a filler for the lyre, both simple and complex motifs of a floral pattern act: a herringbone, a shamrock, a palmette of the Middle Eastern type, a conditional flower with an underlined calyx, corolla and core. About the semantics of the lyre-shaped motif - "kesyur oyuu" various versions. The lyre-shaped form is also a symbolic image of a plant breaking out of the ground. The lyre-shaped motif is widespread in the ornamentation of many peoples. It is considered as the world tree - the tree of life, the tree of fertility, the tree of ascension. It has apotropic and benevolent functions. The lyre-shaped motif is also associated with the cosmological view of the Yakuts, it is a symbol of growth, development, striving for light, for the highest deities of Aiyy. The middle main lyre-shaped motif is called “iye ke?uer”, branches rushing from it in different directions - “o?o ke?uer”, they are at the same time a symbol of the birth of new life, fertility, wealth.
Fig.6 Lyre-shaped motif
The lyre-shaped motif in ornamental art symbolizes a blessing for development and prosperity in the Middle World, therefore, its symmetry and vertical arrangement are an obligatory tradition in embroidery of this ornament. According to the ornamental canons of the Yakut craftswomen, only shoots that blossomed from the main motif could rush to all four sides. But sometimes an inverted lyre-shaped motif in shoes acts as a symbol of danger warning. Apparently, in this way the craftswomen protected themselves from the demons and evil spirits of the Lower World through the embroidery of shoes.
The basis of the arrow-shaped ornament, called “aya yrbata”, consists of arcs and arrow-shaped figures extending upwards from the arcs, used in the ornamental art of the Yakuts mainly as a protective, warning sign. The meaning of the name of the pattern indicates that, perhaps, it has a magical-protective function. This is also emphasized by the location of the motif of the ornament - along the edges of clothing, household items. Perhaps in this way a person tried to protect himself from the influence of various evil spirits.
heart pattern
The heart-shaped pattern (Fig. 7) is traditionally used in the decoration of elegant mittens, leggings, saddlecloths, kychyms. The lush flowering of the heart-shaped motif in the ornamentation of all peoples is a symbol of love and harmony. It does not look like a lyre-shaped motif common in Yakut sewing. The middle, main, motif has the form of a common heart motif. Along the vertical axis of the ornament there are three motifs of a tree; they are not connected, as is usually the case in a lyre-shaped motif, with one trunk. Drawings of the motifs of the upper, directed upwards, the middle one, which is inscribed in the core, and the lower motif are the motifs of the common motif of a tree - a shamrock, goggilistnik or seven-leafed.
Fig.7 Heart-shaped pattern
The lower tree usually goes upside down. Obviously, these motifs determine the trichonomic division of the Universe into the sky (the dwelling place of the gods), the middle world inhabited by aiyy people, and the underground demonic world, where most of the demons live - abaasy. Thus, this composition of the ornament clearly shows the imaginary world of the ancestors: space in different dimensions - the tops, trunks and roots of trees correspond to the vertical, and branched lines extending from the core of the ornament correspond to the horizontal directions.
This pattern is usually embroidered with a common type of embroidery "tanalaydyy annyy"
Many culturological concepts are based on material manifestations of the people's consciousness: household items, clothing, the manner of building dwellings, and so on. It is quite obvious that these phenomena are studied by scientists as closely as possible, starting from external manifestations, ending with the sacred meaning inherent in them.
Ornaments are of particular interest in this regard, since they simultaneously identify a certain culture or nationality, and at the same time are common to completely different, sometimes diametrically opposed cultures.
Types of ornaments
On this stage In the development of cultural studies, it is customary to distinguish four main types of these decorating elements. One of the most common is considered a geometric pattern, which is characterized by an abundance of clear lines, dots and geometric shapes.
The next most popular is a floral ornament, which is based on the image of various leaves or flowers located in certain order and specific forms. This type of decoration of clothes and household items is very characteristic of our Slavic culture.
Approximately the same distribution as the floral ornament received zoomorphic. In a sense, they are even close to each other, since elements of the flora are often found in this kind of images. However, the main focus is on this case on animals (both real and fictional ones).
Finally, culturologists single out the so-called anthropomorphic type of ornament, the concept of which is based on a person.
In this article, we will define what a floral ornament is, for which cultures it is characteristic and what it symbolizes.
Historical roots
In general, the depiction of flora elements is characteristic of almost all cultures, since this tradition is directly related to the concept of the world tree.
This cult is considered one of the oldest and most widespread. For the Slavs in the era of paganism, he occupied one of the leading places, being the basis of the worldview as a whole.
Culture of Egypt
The floral ornament was also characteristic of the culture of Ancient Egypt. Some researchers even claim that this particular part globe and culture can be called the birthplace of the floral pattern, because of the extremely favorable natural conditions.
The Egyptians depicted mainly lotus and reeds, which were the most common and revered as sacred plants.
Art of the East
No less popular was the floral ornament among the Sumerians and Assyrians. Most often, these peoples depicted daisies and daisies, personifying, from their point of view, the sun. It was also often possible to meet the image of cones, pomegranates, palm trees and ears of corn.
Persian tradition
If in previous cases the image was rather schematic, then in this case there is a much greater craving for a naturalistic image. The floral ornament of the Persian decor most often included carnations, anemones and daffodils.
Ancient Greece
Naturally, one cannot but say that such elements were very often used in Hellenic culture. Along with geometric figures, there were also floral ornaments and patterns depicting palm, laurel branches, vines and even algae, which is directly related to the territorial location of Greece.
Slavic culture
As mentioned earlier, our culture is also completely no stranger to the use of these kinds of elements. Floral ornaments and patterns most firmly settled in Ukrainian culture, but before that they were actively used by all Slavs.
Most often depicted plants such as hops, poppies, wheat ears, periwinkle, oak, grape leaves, viburnum. As a rule, these elements were depicted in red on a white background.
secret meaning
It is quite obvious that the floral elements of the ornament have never been depicted as simple decoration. From time immemorial, the image of a particular figure or phenomenon had a hidden sacred meaning. Kalina on clothes and household items, for example, symbolized not only cosmic harmony, but also the prosperity, health and strength of the family.
Oak leaves embroidered on men's shirts and towels were supposed to bring strength and courage to their owners.
Grape leaves and bunches meant the strength and happiness of the family, healthy offspring and all the benefits associated with the family hearth. Poppies, on the other hand, were supposed to protect the owner from evil in any of its manifestations.
Ornament stripes
As you know, there are two main ways of depicting symbolic elements - in the form of a single line (parts of the pattern follow one another) and circular.
The floral ornament in the strip is a constant repetition and alternation of various elements. Wheat ears, for example, can alternate with hops. This kind of arrangement was most often used in clothing, since it had a kind of protective function. As a rule, patterns of this type were placed on cuffs, belts, at the collar and on skirts. Girdling with plant elements was extremely important for the people, which has largely been preserved to this day.
Also, a linear image was used in decorating houses - often plant elements can be found around the perimeter of doors, on the shutters of houses, tables and other interior items.
circular image
Along with the above method of application and placement, there was another. An ornament in a circle, vegetative or otherwise, was more often used in decorating dishes and jewelry, although in meaning it did not differ from patterns made in a strip.
The circular image of certain elements also symbolized the cyclicity, repetition and infinity of life.
Repeating dots and lines may have been the first images created by human hands. Thousands of years have passed since then, but recurring drawings still adorn our clothes, dishes and house walls. What is an ornament? How it has changed over time, and how vintage ornaments and patterns can be used in the interior modern home? We will try to consider the most popular patterns and ornaments that arose in ancient times, and still have not lost either relevance or their bewitching beauty.
Mosaic with centric ornament, Brecci by Eidos Glass
What is an ornament?
Any ornament in its essence is a set of successively repeating individual elements or their groups. Ornament rapport is the rhythmic repetition of one or more of these elements. The ornament not only decorates the plane on which it is applied, it sets a certain rhythm for it, giving completeness to the composition, and actively influences our perception of the surface. The pattern can easily make the plane appear closer or farther, higher or lower, visually bend it or wrap it in a spiral. In ancient times, patterns on clothes and household items were a kind of language that made it possible to determine the gender, family and social status, the profession of the owner, or acted as talismans and charms from evil spirits. Now they, as a rule, do not carry a special semantic load, although they often have their own rich history, which we are not even aware of.
All the endless variety of ornaments invented by man can be easily divided into 3 main groups:
- geometric ornaments
- plant ornaments (phytomorphic), which are various stylized images of plants
- meander ornaments in the form of a continuous broken line
Mosaic from various kinds ornament in a modern interior, Versace Home by Gardenia Orchidea
The selection of the most successful patterns in the history of mankind never stops. Some ornaments, invented many centuries ago, are still actively used in interior design in various styles.
geometric ornaments
The set of basic elements in geometric ornaments, of course, is small, but the possibility of their endless combination with each other is of greater interest. In modern interiors are actively used various options horizontal and vertical stripes that can significantly affect our perception of space, as well as squares, rhombuses, chevrons and circles.
Speaking of more complex geometric ornaments with rich history, I would like to pay special attention to the tartan, which is sometimes also called the Scottish cage, and the quatrefoil, which, despite the name, refers specifically to geometric ornaments.
tartan
Classic tartan, Tecnofloor Industria Chimica
The tartan pattern is formed by the intersection of horizontal and vertical lines. different colors. Thus, a certain sequence of lines and squares is created, which is commonly called "plaid", although formally any fabric in a cage can be called "tartan". In the old days, each Scottish clan had its own original tartan coloring, which served as a clan identification mark. Outside of Scotland, the fashion for checkered fabrics spread thanks to Queen Victoria, a passionate admirer of the culture of this country.
For modern design the game with scale is very characteristic, so the usual small cell on the wallpaper can be replaced by a gigantic tartan, Wall&Deco wallpaper
Reminder: tartan is traditionally considered a "masculine" ornament and is often found in the decor of offices or nurseries for boys.
The cage in the interior creates a sense of stability and helps to organize the space. Wallpaper and interior fabrics with a tartan pattern can most often be found in interiors in the British spirit or country style. IN classic cabinet, in a warm rustic kitchen with checkered curtains and a tablecloth, or in a family living room, tartan will help create an atmosphere of comfort, stability and intergenerational connection.
Quatrefoil
Mirror in the shape of a quatrefoil with sharp corners, Pottery Barn
The quatrefoil or shamrock (quadrofolia and trifolia, respectively) is a geometric ornament of identical circles partially intersecting each other. The pattern can be complemented by additional sharp corners at the junction of the circles.
The history of this motif is lost in the mists of time; it can be found in national Moroccan costumes, among ancient Christian symbols, and in medieval architecture. In European art, the cloverleaf became especially popular during the Renaissance, found in the decoration of furniture, the shape of windows and stained-glass windows of buildings.
Quatrefoil bed linen, Gracious Style
Like other geometric ornaments, the quatrefoil brings a clear rhythm to the interior, however, due to its rounded shapes, it looks softer and unobtrusive. This motif can often be found in interiors stylized in historical styles, such as Gothic or Renaissance, but in more modern variations it can also look organic.
Floral ornaments
From time immemorial, the natural world has served as the main source of creative inspiration, so that new stylizations of leaves, flowers, fruits, trees, animals and birds appear in the design almost every day. Nevertheless, some of the ornaments invented several thousand years ago turned out to be so successful that they still organically complement our interiors. That's for sure: "Everything new is a well-forgotten old."
Interior fabric with paisley pattern, Decobel
One of the most popular and, at the same time, the most ancient floral ornaments. You can also often find another name for it: Indian or Turkish cucumber. It is based on a drop-shaped curl called "buta", the first images of which appeared in ancient Babylon. Colorful Indian fabrics with intricate comma-shaped patterns came to Europe around the 17th century, but their popularity peaked at the time of the craze for exotic oriental motifs in the 19th century. During this period, analogues of Indian fabrics began to be widely produced in Europe, in which the Scottish town of Paisley was especially distinguished.
Modern styling of "Indian cucumber" in the form of a plywood screen, LZF
The paisley pattern is ubiquitous in the collections of wallpaper and interior fabrics of modern manufacturers. Bright "Indian cucumber" can be found in almost any oriental interior: Moroccan, Indian, etc. A more restrained and monochrome version of the pattern is quite suitable for a neutral decor of a modern interior in which you want to create a more cozy and warm atmosphere.
Damascus
Damascus in a classic interior, wallpaper Coordonne
Damascus is a complex floral ornament in the form of a lush flower, framed by intricate leaves, located vertical stripes. It is believed that this pattern appeared in the capital of Syria, Damascus, back in the Middle Ages, eventually spreading throughout the world.
Damascus in a modern interior, Architects Paper ® , a brand of A.S. Creation Tapeten
Today, Damascus can be found, as in traditional classic interiors, as well as in glamorous living rooms and bedrooms, left with laconic modern furniture. For the first option, dim ones are well suited. textured wallpaper with silk-screen printing, in the second, a more contrasting one, for example, a black and white version or a pronounced velvet texture of the pattern, is appropriate. This pattern is no less common in the decoration of ceramic tiles.
Combination of ornaments: the meander acts as a border for floral motifs, Versace Home by Gardenia Orchidea
The meander is a frieze ornament formed by a continuous line bent at a right angle. This is possibly one of the oldest decorative patterns, known since the Neolithic, however, the most widespread in art Ancient Greece. The meander adorns not only antique ceramics, mosaics and reliefs, but is also, for example, the trademark of the Givenchy brand.
Ceiling lamp with meander border, Versace Home by Gardenia Orchidea
Nowadays, the meander can most often be found in classic interiors in the form of a border or edge element. The edging of the carpet, the border on the wallpaper or the mosaic canvas with such an ornament looks both strict and elegant at the same time, giving the space a clear rhythm and order. Against the background of a meander, a minimalistic design will look equally organic. modern furniture, and classical furnishings in the Empire or Neoclassical style.
Reminder: note how varied the use of ornamentation is. Sometimes we don’t even notice that they surround us everywhere: from the pattern on the wallpaper to the decoration of dishes, lamps, carpets or pastel linen.
Ornament is a universal language of art and design that does not become obsolete, does not go out of fashion and pleases the eye at all times. Of course, it must be used wisely, taking into account the general style of the interior, and remember that more than two varieties of ornament in one room are not recommended by experts.
