Violas Bloomed at the Riga Museum of Art Nouveau 0 17

The exhibition features art and household items adorned with images of violas, or tricolor violets. The exhibits span the period from the 18th century to the present day, with particular attention given to works from the Art Nouveau era, when floral motifs were especially popular.

Among the most interesting exhibits is a decorative plate with a floral pattern, once used in the restaurant of the Riga Railway Station, as well as elegant cylindrical vases by the famous French glassmaker François-Théodore Legras. Visitors will also be able to see a unique hand-embroidered box from the museum's collection, which belonged to a Riga resident in the early 20th century.

For centuries, violas have held a special place in European culture. In many countries, this flower symbolizes love, devotion, memory, and contemplation. In ancient Roman mythology, it is associated with Cupid, while in Christian tradition, it is considered one of the symbols of the Holy Trinity. Artists from various eras often depicted tricolor violets in botanical illustrations, watercolors, and still lifes.

The flower gained particular popularity in the United Kingdom during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The monarch adorned her outfits and gifts with violas, and references to them can be found in the works of William Shakespeare, including "Hamlet" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream." However, these flowers only became widely spread in European gardens and parks in the second half of the 19th century and remain in demand to this day.

To create the exhibition, over twenty museums in Latvia provided their collections, including the Latvian National Museum of History, the Art Museum "Riga Bourse," the Jurmala Museum, the Rundale Palace Museum, the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation, the Latvian War Museum, the Janis Lipke Memorial, and many other cultural institutions in the country. Some exhibits also came from private collections.