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| Rosa Mundi. Wiki - By Schurri |
One of my favourite roses - Rosa Mundi. It makes the heart dance for its colouring and slightly wild appearance, for a moment capturing the wild single roses you can find in our countryside. No I don't mean the fullness of its double petals but the slight shagginess of their edges. I have always planted them in the garden. Their romantic history of course goes back to the 12th century.
To the time of Henry 11 and his Queen Eleanor. Henry was to have an affair with Rosamund Clifford, (Rosamund- Rose of the world) but she died young at 30 years old at Godstow Abbey, the Queen according to folklore was supposed to have killed her, she is obviously a muse for romantic art, two of which are below.
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| Queen Eleanor and the Fair Rosamund By Evelyn De Morgan - In the above painting, the one which I prefer though I have rather lost my taste for Pre-Raphaelite paintings. According to folklore the queen has forced Rosamund into a maze and followed her here by the red thread you can see. Rosamund is given the choice of either poison or a dagger by the murderous queen, she chooses poison, this is a late story made up about the time the rose was found. There is a much more macabre story which you can find here. |
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| Fair Rosamund in her Bower by William Bell Scott A less exuberant painting but still with roses as a backdrop. Rosa Mundo comes with a history, there are other striped roses, some dark but Rosa Mundi is a sport from the Apothecary Rose - Rosa Gallica Officinalis. By the way, the lovely linking of the Rosamund story and the rose doesn't add up, the rose was introduced in the 16th century. |
Okay. That epitaph is one of the most awful epitaphs ever. Poor Rosamund.
ReplyDelete"She who used to smell sweet, still smells - but not so sweet" that one you mean Debby ;)
ReplyDeleteThat would be the one. What a way to be remembered!
DeleteAbsolutely enchanting rose that brings me joy and a last fleeting memory of bright spring, my favorite time of year. Now onward to the beginnings of a cozy, snug autumn showing in the air here.
ReplyDeleteWell I wish you a good Autumn but summer seems to have passed too quickly.
DeleteI have never been a pre raphaelite fan but that rose is exquisite.
ReplyDeleteI admired the industry of William Morris Pat but found most of their work over the top. I suspect it was the idea of hand work, patient and diligent.
DeleteWhen I was a child, such roses grew wild in the fields.
ReplyDeleteThe wild roses are simple and beautiful Joanne. Wish I hadn't given my book away on roses by Roger Phillips.
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