A Group of Carnations

Monet’s devotion to flowers was as profound as his art. He often referred to his gardening as a “fury of horticulture,” a passion that blossomed after acquiring his house and garden at Giverny.

This dedication reflected a broader cultural practice: flowers used as symbols of love and devotion, particularly during the Victorian era. Floriography, the intricate “language of flowers” of the mid1800s, imbued blooms with layered meanings. Roses and carnations carried nuanced messages— red for passion, pink for grace and joy, yellow for rejection, and striped for regret. While Monet may not have adhered to these symbolic codes, he and his initial viewers would have understood the context. Nevertheless, his tireless cultivation of his garden and commitment to the waterlilies he later painted reflect the role of flowers in expressing matters of the heart.