Poppies- Flowers of Love!

(copyright 2010) Gail M. Allen

Poppies  16" X 20" Acrylic on Canvas

This is my latest painting for the "Valentine" challenge on The Artist Challenge web site.

http://www.theartistchallenge.com

I wanted to do a floral and began researching lovely red flowers for the message they covey

and their symbolic element. In Persian poetry and literature the red poppy is considered the  eternal flower

of love. Poppies signify many different kinds of love, from fertility, to 
consolation and everlasting life. In China they represent loyalty and faith 
between lovers; according to a Chinese legend about a beautiful courageous woman 
who was married to a warrior and followed him into battle, standing at his side. 
The petals are said to reflect her spirit dancing in the wind, holding her 
sword, as her husband's troops were defeated in battle. A cluster of poppies in 
full bloom was said to have grown on her grave. 

You may purchase prints or  contact me about purchasing the original at my gallery web site:

http://www.gailallenartist.com