Flora, Evelyn De Morgan (1894)
Flora is the Roman Goddess of flowers, especially associated with spring, her festivals, the Floralia.
The painting is a celebration of Florence and its Renaissance artists, and it is clearly inspired by Botticelli's Primavera.
The scroll bottom-right is in Italian and translates as follows:
I come down from Florence and am Flora,
This city takes its name from flower
Among the flowers I was born and now by a change of home
I have my dwelling among the mountains of Scotia
Welcome, and let me treasure amid northern mists be dear to you.
Flora is depicted in front of a Nescola or Loquat tree which bears fruit in the spring. Little birds, such as Chaffinch and a Siskin can be identified within the tree. Flora’s robe is patterned with Florentine flowers and blossoms drop from her clasp and lie scattered in front of her feet.
