Handmade Pottery with Hamsa and floral imagery
If you look close enough, you'll see a tulip drawn on many pieces of pottery, plates, and other designs. They are interspersed within many pieces of artwork, even those where you typically find a hamsa hand and evil eye that you hang in your home or work.
What is the meaning of the tulip?
The tulip flower normally brings up images of Holland, but did you know that the Dutch are not the originators of these bulbs?
The flowers were brought to Holland by the Ottomans in the 1490s.
The tulip, known better as the "king of the bulbs" in the botanical world is a rich symbol of beauty, perfection and paradise.
That is why it has found its way onto pottery, plates, and tiles. The bright, vibrant colors of the tulip and other floral patterns are very popular with elegant, curling petals and colorful motifs.
The red in the tulip symbolizes love and passion. There is an ancient folklore from Turkey about Prince Farhad that fell passionately in love with Shirin, a young maiden. When he learned of her death at a very young age, his heart broke and he rode his horse off of a cliff to join her in death. It is said that where each drop of blood fell, a crimson tulip emerged. Therefore the tulip became a symbol not only of true love, but of love's sacrifice.
In addition to signifying love, the tulip is also a symbol of feminine beauty, perfection, and paradise.
The tulip also is a symbol that protects you from any evil object of spiritual meditation. Mystics also like to state that the flower is humble because, when in bloom, it bows its head before the majesty of God.
Photo courtesy of: Islamicartsmagazine.com
The colors of the tulips also have significant meanings.
We know that red is for love and passion.
Blue is the color for peace and tranquility, but in nature a true blue tulip does not exist. However, on art work and pottery there is no reason not to create the colorful blue tulip.
White and cream, often used during weddings, are the colors of eternal love and forgiveness. Yellow for cheerfulness, pink for friendship, and orange most notably symbolize a physical and spiritual connection between two people.
Did you know that growing tulips in your garden around your home, or even just having a lovely bouquet of tulips in your home brings peace, an inner sense of calmness, prosperity and protection.
This is why a tulip is a chosen flower, among many other flowers of course, to be used in artwork for your home.
The handmade, hand-painted line of platters and bowls produced for Alef Bet by Paula all have a lovely combination of flowers, TULIPS, and hamsa hands as a means not only of beautiful, actually stunning and functional art pieces, but also a symbol of protection for your home.
A hamsa hand is a multi-cultural amulet that pushes back harm and prevents it from close to you and your loved ones, while at the same time ushering in happiness, prosperity and love. More information about the hamsa hand is found here, on the blog.
Green floral pottery with hamsa hand found sold exclusively on Alefbet.com
This mesmerizing platter, handcrafted with intricate floral patterns and a central amulet of a hamsa hand is the perfect addition to your home. It can be used as a serving dish, a fruit platter, or even hung on a wall in your home for display only. When you hold these platters in your hands, you can feel each stroke made by the artist. See the video here that shows the plates being held and touched as they arrived to Alef Bet's warehouse.
The entire line of platters and bowls made for Alef Bet by Paula, are sold exclusively on the website here: https://www.alefbet.com/collections/handmade-platters-hamsa-hand
The next time you see a tulip blossoming, standing tall and even bowing its head, remember the symbolism of this ancient bulb. The tulip. The flower, so resilient it comes back year after year. A true inspiration of the powers of nature and how truly beautiful it is, no wonder art has emulated its beauty.