All About Calla Lily Flowers
By Kathleen Karlsen, MA

Facts About Calla Flowers
Calla is a flowering genus of twenty-eight species originating in Africa and growing mostly in marshy areas. The calla lily grows continuously in water and can survive mild frost.

Calla Lily Flower Symbolism
The flower symbolism associated with the calla lily is magnificent beauty. Calla lilies are native to southern Africa.

Calla Lilies in the History of Art
Georgia O'Keeffe successfully returned the flower to prominence with her series of close-ups of calla lilies. She wanted to have the viewer really look at the fundamental form of the flower without any preconceived notions. Her sensual flowers redefined the flower as a pure, almost geometric form. Georgia O'Keeffe's "Calla Lilies with Red Anemone" (1928) recently was sold for $6.2 million at a Christie's auction in New York. The calla lily is also visible in many of Diego Rivera's works of art.

For more information on flower symbolism:
Illustrated Flower Symbolism Guide
The Symbolic Meaning of Flowers
Garden Flower Symbolism and Flower Facts
Flower Symbolism and Mary Gardens 

References:
Yeh, Ning. An Album of Chinese Brush Painting: Eighty Paintings and Ideas. Huntington Beach, CA: Ning Yeh's Art Studio, 1986.

For Chinese brush painting supplies, please visit:
http://www.orientalartsupply.com/?afid=203

©2008 Living Arts Enterprises LLC

See a complete list of articles in our Article Library.

Article Use Policy: All content on this web site is protected by international copyright laws for intellectual property and may not be reproduced, used, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission.

Contact the author for permission to reprint articles for your own website, newsletter or other publications. Credit must be given to the author, a copyright notification must be included and a link to http://www.livingartsoriginals.com.