She's Come Undone
by Connie Handscomb
Title
She's Come Undone
Artist
Connie Handscomb
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
" ... because love cannot fly without stopping "
~ Pablo Neruda
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Taken in natural light ; unaltered : there had been a lot of rain , the grey clouds provide the background for this image : Nature in all its natural splendour.
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Tulip
Genus : Tulipa spp.
Family : Liliaceae
The tulip grew wild abundantly in the central Asia mountains, in China & Mongolia, in North Africa, and later throughout Europe. Tulip designs have been found on pottery dating back to 2200 BC. So, while one might tend to think of Netherlands as home of the tulip, it was actually first cultivated in Turkey, grown in the palace gardens of the sultans, and is in fact the national flower of Hungary, Turkey & the "Tulip state" Kyrgyzstan. Turkey held the first tulip festivals - it represents abundance and indulgence - and Istanbul still hosts them. Its name is derived from the Turkish word for 'turban' (tulband) because of its shape. As a cultural symbol of the Ottoman Empire, it appeared on textiles, ceramics, woodcarvings and many other art forms.
The Flemish ambassador wrote of it, and it is believed a botanical professor, Charles de L'Ecluse, brought the tulip to Holland in 1593, having purchased it in Istanbul. The professor admired the work of the Flemish painter Paul Rubens, and after the tulip was propagated at Leiden University, it was shipped to him. Painters loved to paint the tulip. The Golden Age of Dutch painting was abundant with still life compositions of the tulip. Special tulip books were published, as were catalogues for wealthy collectors.
In 1630, one single bulb was exchanged for:
2 wheat loads, 4 rye loads, 4 fat oxen, 8 fat pigs, 12 fat sheep, 2 bogsheads of wine, 4 barrels of beer, 2 barrels of butter, 1,000 lbs. of cheese, a bed, a suit of clothes, and a silver beaker.
By the 17th c., 'Tulipmania' was in full swing: a single bulb was worth the equivalent price today of a house and a garden. The Dutch created formal geometrically shaped gardens and fountains in the Italian fashion, and the plants became "botanized" (grown for decorative qualities) whereas previously they had been kept by physicians and cooks. Initially the blooms were simple, with limited range of colours; then doubles began appearing, and the 'broken' tulips - much prized - those with intricately flamed, striped or feathered petals. No one knew then that their beauty was caused by a virus brought on by aphids, and even though the plant was inevitably weakened by it, the blooms became the most popular. It became known as the world's florists' flower, and the more brilliant and lively it was, the more it was loved.
Today, 15 groups with approximately 2,600 varieties of tulips exist, with Holland exporting 60% of the world's tulips. The species bulbs are, of course, more vigorous than the weaker hybrids which tend not to lose vigour after a year or two but whichever is used, it is now the 'people's flower' , cherished by all.
Sources:
Fifty Plants that changed the Course of History (Bill Laws)
Four Chefs, One Garden : Seasons Of West Coast Living [Roy]
Painterly Plants [Clare Foster; Photog.Ruber]
The Romantic Language Of Flowers [Davies; Saunders]
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♥ Heartfelt Gratitude to FAA groups featuring this image :
Loving the Color ORANGE
Visions of Spring
The Light Painters
International Women Artists
Women Photographers
Roses And Tulips
Uploaded
February 14th, 2014
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Viewed 238 Times - Last Visitor from Fairfield, CT on 04/17/2024 at 4:01 PM
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Comments (29)
Barbie Corbett-Newmin
A cleverly titled beauty and I love the tones of the background.
Connie Handscomb replied:
Late in my replies, still very sincere & very grateful for your kindness, Barbie! :))
Mary Machare
Such elegance in a twist of a petal with its stripe of green against the orange and gold. Gorgeous work, Connie! LF
Andrea Lazar
A superb image! Beautiful lines and wonderful color. v/f
Connie Handscomb replied:
Thank you Andrea .. it had rained so very much that spring; the sky was still grey overhead when I shot this ... hence the grey background .. but it was such a delight to be outside & this bright spot of colour was irresistible :)))
Al Bourassa
Yes, as soon as I saw that title I thought of the Guess Who and was humming the tune. Great work. V/L/F
Connie Handscomb replied:
Hi Al! ... just keep on humming .. it's a good tune! thank you very much; glad you like this ;)))
Stuart Harrison
The title comes from a song by the Guess Who (a great Canadian band ) that I loved. I love this photograph too! fav.
Connie Handscomb replied:
Yes, it certainly does .. that title popped into my head when I'd done this image .. & yes, the Guess Who came to mind, too! :)))
Patrick Witz
Simply elegant... and love the playfully appropriate title. Liked it and made it one of my favorites.
Anthony Mwangi
Very captivating work of art Connie. (Fav)
Connie Handscomb replied:
Hi Anthony! Guess what? another late reply .. another late Thank You! ;)))
Dominique Amendola
Gorgeous macro! Superb colors!
Connie Handscomb replied:
Dominque, thank you ... so happy you like this! It is one of my personal favorites .. :)))
ANA MARIA EDULESCU
Oh, this is splendid, Connie ! Such perfection and beauty ! f,l
Connie Handscomb replied:
Hi Ana! my belated thanks for your lovely tribute to my image ... so happy you like it :)))
Torbjorn Swenelius
Gorgeous! L/F
Connie Handscomb replied:
Just seeing your message here; thank you so much! the sky never did get much colour into it for several days ... but the blooms below it such as this one lit up my life anyway :)))
Connie Handscomb
Hi Susan! & Thank You! for featuring this image in Women Photographers - One A Day ; truly appreciated :)))
Connie Handscomb
Appreciate so much your featuring this 'unfurled' beauty in International Women Artists, Hannah! thank you to bits :)))
Connie Handscomb
Thank you, too, Heidi, for featuring in The Light Painters! ... even under a grey sky .. there is 'light' :)))
HJBH Photography
Absolutely gorgeous Connie! Wonderful colors and details a beauty! f/v
Connie Handscomb replied:
Hi Heidi! always nice to see you! thank you so very much for your kind comments as well ... our skies are bluer than when I captured this elegant beauty :)))