☙ Acanthus

Acanthus mollis L. (1753)WFO

Period English: acanthus ▲︎◆︎; bear's breeches ▲︎ (bears'-breech). LH S&K

Period French: acanthe f. BD JDS

Period German: Aechte Bärenklaue ('true bear's-claw'). JDS

Sentiments:

❧ Nœuds indissolublesUnbreakable knots ◼︎ (1811); BD

❧ Art ▲︎◆︎◼︎ (1819-1869); CLT

 The Arts ▲︎◆︎◼︎ (1819-1884); CLT

 Artifice ▲︎◆︎ (1836-1884); TTA

❧ Genius ◆︎ (1869). RT:LOF

Region:

Native: Mediterranean basin, including Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, East Aegean Islands, Lebanon-Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Sicilia, Turkey-in-Europe, Yugoslavia, and Sardegna.WFO

Introduced: The Azores, Canary Islands, Madeira; Tasmania; Aoterea; Great Britain; Kriti; Beleares, Corse, France, Portugal, Spain; Mexico Central; and California.WFO

Seasonality: Perennial, flowers summer.

Period Colours: TBC.

Cited Verse:

❧ Paradise Lost, Book IV, John Milton (1667) lines 693-697.

🜱 On sentiments: The sentiments of art, the arts, artifice and genius arise from the use of acanthus in decorating the top of Corinthian columns, and further in Ancient Greek and Roman art, mentioned in this capacity by Classical authors.

🜱 I am afraid I have as yet no explanation for nœuds indissolubles.

🜱 Although the name 'bear's-breeches' is ubiquitous with this plant today, it does not appear to be common in the 1800s, and is omitted entirely except for the cited passing mentions.


Abécédaire de Flore

B. Delachénaye, 1811 ◼︎


EMBLÉMES TIRÉS DU RÈGNE VÉGÉTAL.


A.


Acanthe signifie nœuds indissolubles.


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