A symbol of love...the carnation

Dirck Jacobsz (1483-1537):
'Portrait of Pompejus Occo' (1483-1537), 1531
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In the language of flowers, a red carnation symbolizes pure
and ardent love and a pink carnation symbolizes marriage.
Paintings from the Renaissance show that it was customary
to give a carnation to a loved one at weddings as a symbol
of the vow of fidelity and marriage. Read more about the
symbolisme of the carnation in Christianity here

Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–1669):
'Portrait of a Woman with a Pink (Carnation)', 1622
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Master of the Legend of St. Ursula:
'Portrait of a Lady with a Carnation', 140-50
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Andrea Solari: 'Man with a Pink Carnation', 1495
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Hans Holbein the Younger: 'Simon George', ca. 1533
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Hans Holbein the Younger:
'Young Man with a Carnation', 1533
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Hans Holbein: 'Jane Small', ca. 1540
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Frans Pourbus the Younger: 'Archduchess
Anna' (1585-1618), wife of Kaiser Matthias
and daughter of Ferdinand II. von Tirol,1603
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Anonymous German artist active at the Court of
Ansbach 1490: Portrait of a Lady wearing
the Order of the Swan
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Bartholomew Bruyn the Elder:
'Younger man with a Carnation', 1532
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Jan van Eyck (1390-1441):
'Portrait of Man with Carnation', ca. 1435
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Joos van Cleve: 'Portrait of Maximilian I' (1459-1519),
emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, ca 1530
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Hans Holbein the Younger: 'George Gisze', 1532
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