THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS IN VICTORIAN PAINTING TALK

Sat 6 Jun 2026, 11am–12pm

This event is in-person at the Museum in the Headley Lecture Theatre and online via Zoom

Tickets are £8 each. Booking is essential

Tickets coming soon

With Martin Beek, artist and art historian

Since ancient times people have used symbols to express thoughts and feelings.

During the Victorian Age, they were most commonly conveyed through particular flowers, fruits and plants.

Their ‘hidden’ messages often relate to Victorian conventions of romance and courtship.

The floral elements within narrative Victorian paintings also reflect the period’s passion for gardens and beauty for its own sake.

Among them are stories of romantic love, faithfulness and hope, but also of infidelity and disappointment. 

Gentle Spring, Frederick Sandys, 1865, oil on canvas

Find more Victorian Art in our Pre-Raphaelite Gallery 66 and 19th Century Art Gallery 67 on the third floor. 

This event is part of the Shaped by Nature 2026 season of events.

BOOKING

This event takes place in-person in the Headley Lecture Theatre and online via Zoom.

Tickets are £8 each. Booking is essential. 

Tickets coming soon

If you have any questions, please email us at publicprogrammes@ashmus.ox.ac.uk