""I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valley. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters," declares Solomon in the Song of Songs. Flowers have played a vital role as vehicles of expression since time immemorial. As a declaration of love or as a gesture of thanks, as a means of expressing sympathy or of congratulating, flowers are often the most eloquent and direct means of communication. The fascinating history of the symbolism of flowers is presented and explained here in all its facets with entertaining texts and details of beautiful works of art." "The author outlines the mythology of flowers in the ancient and early Christian worlds and explains their special significance for love and marriage, in customs and festivals and the use of flowers as status symbols, as symbols of seasons of the year or as metaphors of human qualities. Thirty-five beautiful depictions of flowers taken from the Renaissance and Baroque periods are reproduced as full-page illustrations accompanied by descriptive texts which analyse their symbolism, mythological importance, use and meaning in our present times."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved