I picked up some free books from the dump. There was a book of ironwork patterns with history about iron fences in the age of Queen Victoria. It's lovely as a book of art, but I can see how it might have been taking up too much space. So I'm adding to the clutter in my place.
I found the same themes in Victorian iron as in all the other decorative arts from that time. But no explanation why. Seems to me that the author of the iron work book has no idea why. I did not go check the library, but seems to me that not many people know.
I think I am the only person in a 100 miles round here who knows the answer to the question, "Why are there flowers and leaves in Victorian art?" Well, the answer is they symbolize abundance. I'm guessing that's true for Baroque art, and Rococco, too. Abundance -with lots of symbols that people once understood at a glance.
The more leaves, flowers, and fruit you have, the more wealthy and powerful you are. So, that would explain all those florid interiors of European palaces. All those curlicues, and ancanthus leaves...
I admit that I'm still only guessing. But I think that pagan belief was ambient all over Europe, much more than historians today recognize. I'm finding pre-Christian ideas all over the place, hidden in plain sight in the decorative arts.
Why am I doing this? I'm not a pagan. I do like the traditions, the calendar, the sense of connecting to women's spirituality. No, I'm focused on this because it connects with pre-history. I want to know what happened before written history began.
