July 19, 2012
Marsh Orchid, 2012 45.5cm x 59cm acrylic on 70lbs paper The orchid’s name derives from the Greek word orchis meaning testicle due to the shape of its root. The Greek myth of Orchis explains the origin of the plants. Orchis, the son of a nymph and a satyr, came upon a festival of Dionysios in the forest. He drank too much, and attempted to rape a priestess of Dionysios. For his insult, he was torn apart by the Bacchanalians. His father prayed for him to be restored, but the gods instead changed him into a flower. Throughout history the orchid has been associated with lust, greed and wealth. The orchid family is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species, found in 880 genera.

Marsh Orchid, 2012 45.5cm x 59cm acrylic on 70lbs paper

The orchid’s name derives from the Greek word orchis meaning testicle due to the shape of its root. The Greek myth of Orchis explains the origin of the plants. Orchis, the son of a nymph and a satyr, came upon a festival of Dionysios in the forest. He drank too much, and attempted to rape a priestess of Dionysios. For his insult, he was torn apart by the Bacchanalians. His father prayed for him to be restored, but the gods instead changed him into a flower. Throughout history the orchid has been associated with lust, greed and wealth. The orchid family is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species, found in 880 genera.

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