Purple- Lily

I painted this purple lily two summers ago as it struggled to cope with the heat on a late summer afternoon. Apart from the rich colour, I loved the markings on the petals of this flower, and the chaotic arrangement of each one.  Under the fierce sunshine, this poor flower quickly wilted so I captured the moment just before the petals fell.

The lily is believed to have originated in Greece and so the name is derived from Latin.  The white lily was believed to represent purity and innocence but each colour symbolises a different emotion or message.  Thus the purple lily was the colour of passion and romance.   Many of the myths and legends surround the origins of flowers, with many references to historic beliefs of the ancient gods in Greece and Egypt.

I painted this Purple Lily on Japanese Washi paper made from Mulberry leaves using traditional black Sumi and coloured mineral inks with brushes from China and Japan. The painting has been float mounted and framed in natural ash.