After all the raving and ranting I’ve done recently, not forgetting moaning and whining, perhaps it’s time I turned my attention to gentler topics. How about the humble pansy? Anyone interested? Thought not. See what I can do.
Let’s start with the common European wild pansy, viola tricolour, also known as Johnny-Jump-Up, heart's ease, heart's delight, tickle-my-fancy, Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me, come-and-cuddle-me, three faces in a hood, or love-in-idleness. And that’s just a few of them in English.
In German the wild pansy is called, inter alia, Ackerveilchen (viola of the field), Muttergottesschuh (Mother of God’s shoe), Maedchenaugen (maiden's eyes), Schöngesicht (beauteous face) or Liebesgesichtli (Lover’s face).
The English illustrator, Cicely Mary Barker (28 June 1895 – 16 February 1973) was best known for a series of fantasy illustrations depicting fairies and flowers. The wild pansy is one of the flowers used by her in her rather whimsical drawings.Shakespeare mentions the wild pansy in two of his plays: In Hamlet, Ophelia, who is mad with grief at the death of her father, rambles on about strewing herbs: “And there is pansies, that’s for thoughts…” (Act IV, Scene 5.)
And in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Oberon commands Puck to bring him “…a little western flower / Before milk-white, now purple with love’s wound / And maidens call it love-in-idleness.” (Act II, Scene 1.) It is the effect of this natural aphrodisiac that causes the mayhem and entertainment of the entire play! You could say that A Midsummer Night’s Dream is woven around the magical properties of heartsease.
Georgia O’Keefe produced a very beautiful painting of a black pansy and followed it up with a depiction of a white one.
Wild pansies were used as herbals, to cure venereal disease for instance, acc. to Culpepper; ditto headaches and dizzy spells. The ancient Greeks used it as a love potion and a symbol of fertility.
The violet has ever been the emblem of constancy. There is a French proverb which goes something like this: “Violet is for faithfulness, which shall in me abide, hoping that in your heart too, it shall not hide”.
The German name for the garden pansy is 'little stepmother’ Stiefmutterchen. There is a very sad tale attached to it:
to adorn themselves in colourful array.
Her stepchildren, the upper two leaves of the flower, have to remain in the background, clad in modest colours, or plain white.
Sorrow at the poor treatment his own children receive has turned the pistil, representing the father’s hair, white.
Lastly an explanation for the name in English, which is, as so often, a mispronunciation of a foreign name.
A small bouquet of pansies, given by a lover to his love, was called a pensée, - hence pansy - a thought, symbolising devotion and faithfulness, remembrance, honour, even humility.
But mainly it means: "I am always thinking of you".
In other words, the pansy is an all-round excellent fellow; humble though it is. we should plant many more of them, in spite of their dowdy image with some gardeners. The pansy will brighten any spot and is at home equally in the ground as in any kind of container.
Still reading? Well done. I’ll stop now.
The step-mother story was interesting. Pansies do seem to be unfashionable at the moment.
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty flowers, I enjoyed the legends about them:)
ReplyDeleteI love the stories and lessons attached to flowers and thank you for sharing these...As to your other post, the world has indeed gone mad, it seems. Be well.
ReplyDeleteThe story behind the Stepmother moniker is interesting.
ReplyDeleteOne evening before I married and left my parents' home, the little girl from next door came over with a bouquet of pansies. Her mother had told her their meaning and she brought them to let me know that she wouldn't forget me when I left. So sweet.
I found it fascinating. But I have a love of pansies, language, and stories. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Friko - it's the time of flowers ... somewhere we can rest our eyes and minds away from the horrors that seem to send shards of hate around the world.
ReplyDeleteI've come to love violas - and if I had a garden - they'd have a place ... as too the pansy - love the story line about the two top petals ... and then the herbal aspects ...
So good to see you here ... enjoy the summer ahead: a peaceful time, I hope - cheers Hilary
Very interesting post. I have always loved pansies and violets. There are violets galore in our garden in the Spring - we didn't plant them so regard them as a gift.
ReplyDeletePansies are a harbinger of spring, hereabouts, and I always look at their smiling faces and rejoice, Friko. Now, you have give me more to ponder with this interesting post of pansies.
ReplyDeleteMy mother's name was Violet, so, I am partial to them. They grow wild here in the early summer, and I always make at least one little bouquet - in memory of my mother.
I learn something every day. I guess I better plant some.
ReplyDeleteLearned quite a bit about this delicate spring bit of joy. I do love their smell and how they fit in my pots. Too harsh a land for me to bed them out.
ReplyDeleteMy mother used to grow them and I always liked them. I never knew the stories or other names so this was quite interesting to me right through. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely refreshing post! Here they are called Amnon and Tamar. I will try to find out why! :-)
ReplyDeleteLovely tales about the pansy. I think it's a pretty flower and I really enjoy their faces. :-)
ReplyDeleteA lovely post! A particular tonic in these times.
ReplyDeleteFriko, I liked this post very much, and thank you for letting me know more about jonny-jump-ups, violas and pansies. I do love these flowers and would also mention that they seem to be very popular at the flower and plant stands at our local farmers markets. There are lots of them over in Central Park's Shakespeare Garden, too.
ReplyDeleteSo many colorful combinations. I always see faces in pansy blooms.
Thank you for the Sunday evening cheer. xo
I always loved them. And now I have your story.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Fascination with things around and scholarship into them has saved my sanity from many a crisis. Sending you my warm Aloha
ReplyDeleteI like pansies, and it's always a delight to see how beautiful they are every spring in Ludwigsburg's palace grounds - and on my parents' balcony!
ReplyDeleteMost of the English names you mention were unknown to me. I knew about the "pensée" having turned into "pansy", though.
Thank you for a bright spot in what has become a dark place! I love pansies. Will appreciate them more because of your stories. Here in TX pansies are winter flowers. We plant them in the fall because they are hardy and withstand snow, ice, etc. Too bad that they wilt and die when summer is approaching. They don't handle heat or lots of sun well.
ReplyDeleteLook at this! Another Texan! I live south of Houston, and was going to mention their use as a winter flower. they are enjoyable, aren't they?
DeleteWhat about Ophelia? Did you forget her? Or did I miss her?
ReplyDeleteI love pansies but have never had success with them. I always loved the violets that covered the forest floor near rural relatives' homes in the spring. A sea of purple and an enticing fragrance were a source of wonder to mr as a 5-year-old. Some looked similar to the wild pansies in your illustration. The wild flowers we called Johnny Jump Ups looked more like an iris. I no longer see woods blanketed with those larger violet blooms, just tiny blooms of solid white or solid yellow. Thanks for a fascinating dose of pansy natural history, folklore and references from the arts to savor.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading this. The stepmother story was memorable and will remain when I look at those pansies that I so love in the future. They are a bit of humble flower to some, but to me they have always been a favorite. I've never bothered to think on them or read on them before. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis was so enjoyable, Friko. Poppies and pansies are favorites of mine when it comes to garden flowers. As I mentioned above, they're used here as bedding plants in the winter. It's not only individual gardeners who use them. They're so cheerful and hardy, they go in along roadsides, at commercial developments, and so on. We always have great spreads of them.
ReplyDeleteNot only that, I have a small collection of antique china with both pansy decals and hand-painted pansies: a pewter-lidded syrup jug, pieces from a chamber set, a few occasional dishes. But best of all is a print by watercolorist Paul de Longpré. This is what my print looks like, although mine is framed in a rather heavy mahogany frame that I adore. It has a bit of a shadow-box look.
If I can remember, I'll take a photo or two of the china so you can see. It's really quite lovely.
I love pansies. When I was a child I thought they contained monkey faces.
ReplyDeleteI love the stories and the pictures...they go well together :)
ReplyDeleteI love them , too , not least because they're almost impossible to kill off !
ReplyDeleteWild pansies grow themselves in my garden but mainly in shady corners,they are blue, dark blue and white and look pretty. Interesting story of these modest flowers, thanks Friko!
ReplyDeleteI knew many of those names but the stepmother tale is new to me. Perfect! I hope things are going smoothly for you.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved cheery little pansies, and have some in my yard. But I'll look at them differently now that I know the stepmother story!
ReplyDeleteI have always liked pansies. My MIL planted them every year. And I can even keep them alive!
ReplyDelete=)
Your pansies are wonderful and yes, I read every word (but didn't know all the historical lore, so I found it fascinating!) Pansies and their derivatives have always been a big part of my garden and I think of them as happy flowers. I was sad to return from vacation and see mine had died but it had been so hot and they do a bit better here when it is cooler. I will get more for the fall, for they seem to go well into the early days of winter and their cheery faces make mine a little more cheery, too!
ReplyDeleteI like the name love-in-idleness
ReplyDeleteI am at the Utah Shakespeare Festival today. one of their refreshments is named "A Midsummer Night's Dram" LOL
Gorgeous flowers- interesting information that I did not know. Have a cheery weekend!
ReplyDeleteI love pansies and the little johnny jump ups and the violas. pansies were one of my mother's favorite flowers and she planted them every year. I love them also but am not quite so good at getting them in at the proper time of the year which for us is fall.
ReplyDeleteA simply beautifiul and uplifting post. Thanks from Dalamory
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed reading about the pansy. I've always loved them since I first remember seeing them edging the long driveway at my aunt's home when I was a young child. Thanks!
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