Ottoman Flower Culture

Flowers in the Ottoman State have been an inseparable part of social life, art, and daily communication. Especially from the 16th century onward, the appreciation of flowers that developed within the palace circles and among the general public transcended mere aesthetic value and acquired profound symbolic meanings. Flowers were used as motifs across a wide range of domains—from book arts to architecture, from textiles to tombstones—and simultaneously formed the foundation of a secret symbolic language known as "Selam."

Representative Use of Flowers in Ottoman Art (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)

Floral Motifs in Book Arts

In Ottoman book decoration arts (tezhip, miniature, bookbinding and illumination), flowers were initially applied in stylized forms but gradually evolved toward a more naturalistic style. In this development, the influence of Nakkaş Kara Memi, who worked at the imperial nakkaşhane during the reign of Kanuni Sultan Süleyman in the 16th century, was significant. Kara Memi broke away from classical forms and began depicting flowers from nature with realism, introducing a "semi-naturalistic" style to Turkish decorative art.

Evolution of Style and Naturalism

Until the mid-16th century, flowers were typically rendered in stylized, imaginary forms known as "hatayi," whose origins could not be precisely identified. Nakkaş Kara Memi, with a revolutionary step in Turkish art, began depicting tulips, roses, carnations and hyacinths as they appeared in gardens, using a semi-naturalistic style. By the 18th century, European Baroque and Rococo influences enriched flowers with vases, baskets and scrolls, and added depth through shading techniques. The resulting style known as "Turkish Rococo" transported flowers onto manuscript pages and architectural decorations with the meticulous detail of still-life paintings.

Major Floral Motifs and Their Symbolism

The four most common flowers in Ottoman art are the tulip, rose, carnation and hyacinth. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, these flowers carry spiritual meanings:

• Tulip: Represent divine love, as its name in the abjad numerical system corresponds to the letters of "Allah," and it holds the highest rank in artistic compositions.
• Rose: Symbolize Prophet Muhammad and divine beauty. In artworks, they are typically rendered in either bud or fully bloomed form, usually in a naturalistic style.
• Carnation and Hyacinth: These flowers were generally used as auxiliary motifs in bouquets or borders. From the 18th century onward, under Western influence (Baroque and Rococo), they were depicted with more curved and shaded forms.

Ottoman Ceramic Art (Turkey Culture Portal)

The Secret Language of Flowers: Selam

In Ottoman society, a system of communication developed in which emotions, not expressed in words, were conveyed through flowers, objects and fruits. This system, known as "Selam" or "The Language of Flowers" (Le langage des fleurs), was introduced to Europe primarily by Western travelers and diplomats fascinated by the harem culture.

Historical Sources and Recognition

Among the first figures to bring this secret language to the attention of the Western world was French diplomatic secretary Du Vignau, who in 1688 published his work Le Secrétaire Turc, listing the meanings of 179 elements used in the system. In 1718, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu provided detailed accounts of this "language of objects" in letters written from Istanbul; later, Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall and the renowned writer Goethe also referenced this tradition in their works.^【1】

Ottoman Floral Heritage (AA)

Symbolic Meanings

In the Selam language, each flower or plant corresponds to a specific concept or message, often constructed through rhyming associations with the flower’s name:

• Blue Violet: Represents humility and loyalty.
• Yellow Flower: Carries a message of separation, illness or sorrow, as in the rhyme "Sarı çiçek, seni gördükçe gönlüm geçecek."
• White Rose: Signifies longing and purity.
• Blackberry: Conveys envy and malice.
• Layered Zakkum: Symbolizes elegance and grace.
• Parsley: Expresses an invitation to a feast or a message of friendship.

This language enabled individuals, constrained by social norms from openly expressing their emotions, to communicate through bouquets (askı) exchanged between them.