The Poppy (East & West)
You may wonder why I decided on the Poppy Flower this season as a focus
Having grown up in India and being surrounded by ancient textiles, art, architecture and its abundant history, I was drawn to the intricate beauty of it all. With COVID in the air and international travel not being possible, the feeling of being near homeland grew stronger and what better way to connect than to immerse myself in some history, research and the challenge of a different art form. I wanted paint flowers in the Moghul style of art, looking for a flower that was also well known throughout the world and the poppy is just that beauty!
I also wanted to showcase the Poppy in its contemporary form and the meaning it taken on for the world post WWI. Worn in different ways by people all over the world as memorial symbol.
Moghul Era
The Moghul Era started in 1526 when Emperor Babur (Zahir Al-Din Mohammed Babur -1483- 1530) founded the Empire. A descendant of Genghis Khan and Timur the Great from Fergana (now Uzbekistan), conquered Delhi and Agra (in India) and expanded to rule all but the southern most area of India.
Flowers have always had their place in South Asian art, however they found prominence during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Moghul art and architecture developed new styles and were quite different to what came before ( earlier styles from Central Asia) the reign of Emperor Jehangir (r. 1625-1627). This style had a distinctive form of realism that reflected in a variety of ways throughout this geographical region for the following two centuries. Jehangir is well known for his immense interest in flora and fauna which was regularly commissioned for art by the court painter Mansur. These were accurate botanical representations of the flowers. Only a few of Mansur’s botanical paintings have survived, unfortunately.
During the reign of Emperor Jehangir, the poppy came into the limelight. More specifically the Opium Poppy as Jehangir was addicted to opium. The flower appeared in different varieties as well.
Flowering plants increasingly appeared everywhere, set in paintings of lush garden scenes and then began to appear as ornamental patterns in architecture, calligraphy, textiles, glassware, pottery, jewellery and weapons. This became central to the empire’s socio- cultural ideals.
A mid-seventeenth -century treatise, the ‘Mirzanamah’ suggests that a proper Mirza (aristocratic gentleman) must possess a flair, knowledge and appreciation of flora that would show his character and level of sophistication and masculinity. A gentleman must be naturally inclined to appreciate flower gardens and have them on display wherever possible in and around his property.
Some of the representations of these flowers took on the fantasy of the artists and were not necessarily a true depiction of the plant. These can be seen as inlay work on the Taj Mahal and many textile prints, painting and carvings.
From the vast wild and cultivated flora of the Indian subcontinent and variety of species from East Asia and the Americas that were used during the Moghul Era- some were depicted more widely- these were poppies and larkspur.
Moghul flowers have since then become a part of Indian culture, more so in textile and fashion as block prints, embroideries and on the rare occasion hand painted.
This capsule collection of the poppy inspired from the Moghul era is my version as an artist of going back in time and creating a series of hand painted scarves (and cushion covers) that embody a feeling of the Empire.
The Poppy flower in examples of ancient Moghul art form ( image 1 & 2). My personal take on the Moghul style of poppy (image 3)
The Western Poppy
Red Poppy
The poppy has been an association throughout history as we know it with Remembrance Day. Why and how did this beautiful red flower come to bring on such potent symbolism of sacrificed made in past wars?
Scarlet corn poppies grow naturally in conditions of disturbed earth all through Western Europe. Way before WW1, in the 19th century, the destruction caused by the Napoleonic wars transformed bare lands into abundant fields of blood red poppies, growing around the bodies of fallen soldiers.
1914, as World War 1 raged through Europe in the fields of Northern France and Flanders, as land and soldiers came to their end, the poppy was once again in full bloom after the conflict was over.
The significance of the poppy as a lasting memorial symbol to the fallen was realised by the Canadian surgeon John McCrae in his poem In Flanders Fields. The poppy came to represent the immeasurable sacrifice made by his comrades and quickly became a lasting memorial to those who died in World War One and later conflicts. It was adopted by The Royal British Legion as the symbol for their Poppy Appeal, in aid of those serving in the British Armed Forces, after its formation in 1921. Now a symbol for war veterans globally.
Purple Poppy
Most people are not aware that alongside the red poppy, the purple poppy is also worn in remembrance of animals that died during conflict.
To commemorate all the animal intelligence and sacrifices in war, the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation (AWAMO) issued the purple poppy, which can be worn with the traditional red poppy. Other countries including the United Kingdom people are also encouraged to wear the purple poppy alongside the traditional red poppy as a reminder that both humans and animals have and continue to serve.
Animals continue to serve in places like Afghanistan, where explosive detection dogs and their handlers work the frontline.
AWAMO also fund training of support animals to help soldiers with post-traumatic stress, and provide care packages including paying for care for war animals retired from service due to illness, injury and old age after active service.
White Poppy
First introduced by the Women’s Co-Operative Guild (UK), the white poppy was intended as a symbol for peace and as end of all wars.
While the White Poppy was never intended to offend the memory of those who died in the Great War, many veterans felt that its significance undermined their contribution and the lasting meaning of the red poppy. The seriousness of this issue was so great, that some women lost their jobs in the UK in the 1930s for wearing white poppies. The White Poppy Appeal is now run by the Peace Pledge Union.
I thoroughly enjoyed the research and the whole process behind creating this collection.
-Simin
Resources:
BBC UK
Australian war Animal Memorial Organisation (AWAMO)
Nicolas Roth- The Floral Empire