A brief look at the colour pink in words and images
Current idiom 'In the pink' refers to being in the best possible health. Glowing pink cheeks, a blushing bride, a beautiful baby.
'In the Pink' during the 16th century meant - the pinnacle of something but not limited to health.
Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, 1597:
Mercurio: "Why, I am the very pinke of curtesie"
Mercurio means that he is not just courteous, but the very model of courtesy.
This citation is from Leigh's Kensington Gardens, 1720:
"Tis the pink of the mode, to marry at first sight: And some, indeed, marry without any sight at all."
Charles Dickens, in his 'Letters 1845', demonstrates a significant difference to our current usage:
"Of all the picturesque abominations in the world, commend me to Fondi. It is the very pink of hideousness and squalid misery".
From my perception, Fondi is a delightful, pretty resort, surrounded by mountains on the Lazio coast lying midway between Rome and Naples.
What is pink? a rose is pink
By a fountain's brink
Christina Rossetti
Hello Rosemary, It is fun thinking of different connotations of pink. Pink can also mean to draw blood with a sword. Pinking shears are used to give a zig-zag edge to cloth. In America, pink, especially in the form pinko, means having Communist sympathies--i.e., 'a little bit red'.
ReplyDeleteMostly, pink symbolizes extreme delicacy and often by extension femininity, although perhaps not always--I was surprised to read in an old book of a children's party with blue ribbons for girls and pink ones for boys.
Hello Jim - I always enjoy and greatly appreciate the thoughtful contributions that you bring to a post - thank you.
DeleteAs a result of your comment I have discovered the interesting fact that pinking shears derive their name from the flower plant named pink, genus Dianthus, carnation, as pinking shears produce an edge similar to that on the flower petals. I would never have discovered this if you had not led me in this direction.
There's certainly more to know about 'pink' and its different meanings than I already did. Lovely post with beautiful images Rosemary.
ReplyDeleteMarian
Thank you Marian - in this season of red, gold, and green, I felt like a bit of pink for a change!
DeleteWonderful array of pinks. Love the flowers.
ReplyDeleteI expect that some those pink flowers are flowering with you currently.
DeleteAll this pink makes me long for summer! The Japanese anemones are my favourites - mine lasted until November this year.
ReplyDeleteI have geraniums still in flower, but I don't expect that they will escape for much longer.
DeleteGreat post, Rosemary. As always, your photos are terrific.
ReplyDeleteThank you Marie for your generous comment.
DeleteDear Rosemary,pink is a preety color!!Beautiful images of flowers and effects too!!
ReplyDeleteI really like them!!!Have a lovely new week!!
Dimi...
Thanks Dimi - it is rather nice to see a bit of pink when everywhere is covered in red and gold at the moment.
DeletePink is one off my favorite colour...it is a verry pretty colour.
ReplyDeleteThe Japanisch anemone is also one off my favorite, also the photo with the ribbons.
Nice evening Rosemary.
Greetings,
Inge, my choice
Dear Inge - I took the photo of the ribbons in a haberdashery shop which had lots of wonderful ribbons hanging in it, all the colours of the rainbow.
DeleteDear Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteI like your choice of images, and the pinks, especially those overlapping leaves, complement the gray of your background beautifully.
Dear Mark - you have probably guess that I have been playing around with Picmonkey.
ReplyDelete. . . and using it to great effect!
DeleteThank you.
DeleteHello Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful,wonderful,gorgeous and amazing pictures!!!
A big hug
Hello Antonio - what a wonderful comment - I am very touched - thank you.
DeleteDear Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteAn interesting post. I thought of various connotations for the word 'pink' as I was reading this post but I see they have all been mentioned in the other comments, so it is left for me to add (with a nod at Shakespeare and Mercurio) that your's is the very pinke of blogs!
Kirk
Dear Kirk - that is a good comment - and very much appreciated - thank you,
DeleteA most thoughtful and beautifully photographed pink post. We were just picking out pink roses for next year. I am finally ordering some of David Austin's roses. I am sure you could tell be about them.
ReplyDeleteDear Olive - you cannot go wrong with David Austin roses - he is the creme de la creme where roses are concerned. He actually lives in Shropshire which not very far from me.
DeleteBeautiful images, Rosemary.
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda
DeleteI feel like a walking cliche when I say that pink makes me feel happy, warm, sunny, cosy - indeed, 'in the pink' and fully alive.
ReplyDeleteI do hope that you are feeling 'in the pink' I would then know that you are now fully recovered from your long trip to China.
DeleteSome stunning images, Rosemary and some fascinating thoughts about pink. I must admit I was never a fan of pink until I began gardening; then after growing beautiful pink flowers (particularly roses) I changed my mind completely.
ReplyDeleteThat is interesting Wendy - I think perhaps we enjoy different colours at different stages of our life. I too love the colour pink in the garden, but I never wear it except as an accessory.
DeletePink it is then - love the quotes and smashing photos.
ReplyDeletePatricia x
Hope that you are 'in the pink' ready for Christmas Patricia.
DeleteReally striking images , pink is incredibly beautiful , soft and feminine !
ReplyDeleteYou are right Jane - a touch of pink can do wonders to make something more feminine.
DeleteSo refreshing! I can certainly be in the mood for pink. Perhaps cyclamen, amaryllis and poinsettia flowers / bracts for Christmas dinner?! Happy Holidays, Rosemary!!
ReplyDeleteWarm greetings,
Loi
I like the sound of that Loi - I had a lovely pink poinsettia last year.
DeleteHi Rosemary, I wasn't aware that the word pink has any other use then describing a color. Interesting post! I think, I will add the idiom 'In the pink' to my repertoire ;-)! By the way, do you have any idea what the name of the light colored pink rose is, with the small delicate blooms? So beautiful! Warm regards,
ReplyDeleteChristina
Dear Christine - I have not shown any real roses on this post so I am assuming that you must mean the penultimate photo! It is an Anemone hupehensis - common name Japanese anemone. Hardiness Zone 4a to 8 - acidic soil. They are a late summer flower and come in white, pale pink, and a deep pink. Once you have an established plant it will spread rapidly but is so pretty that I do not mind.
DeleteRaising my glass of pink champagne to you, Rosemary, for this post of glorious pinkness. I love pink - but then you already know that! Very pretty photos, and I love the ribbons and silk flowers, and the Japanese blooms, which we know as cosmos. I am trying to grow them at the moment, with mixed success. The Dickens quote is an interesting oddity but then he liked to play around with words too. Trust you are 'in the pink' this Christmas week.
ReplyDeleteDear Patricia - belatedly, I dedicate this post to you - it had slipped my mind for the moment that you are definitely the Queen of Pink.
DeleteThe Japanese anemone is very easy once it is established and will then spread. It does prefer acid soil and would probably like some extra moisture, so keep it well watered.
I just love pink..very creative post
ReplyDeleteDear Sharon - thank you - I think that pink hits the spot with many of us.
DeleteGreat to see your wonderful photos and interesting text about one of my favourite colours. I especially like the lovely Ornamental Cherry blossom.
ReplyDeleteI have been disconnected from the internet for a while and have been catching up with your previous posts. All so colourful and informative. Thank you for the time you take to make them so.
Betty
Dear Betty - Thank you so much for your comment which I really appreciate.
DeleteI so look forward to seeing the Cherry blossom again next year - isn't nature wonderful. I look out of my window now and the tree is skeletal but soon its buds will appear and the whole renewal process will begin again.
Glad that you enjoyed some of the previous posts from our trip.
Loving all your pinks Rosemary, it's making me feel very warm and summery once again. We have an odd splash of pink here today. Our car is in for service and the garage have given us a duck eggish grey Mini with pink wing mirrors..
ReplyDeleteThat sounds very trendy Jessica - love grey and pink together.
DeleteThis is such an interesting post regarding “pink”, rosemary, both narrative and images. As the mixture of red and white, pink symbolizes sweetness and gentle emotion to me. Pink is Japan’s spring. Pink color of cherry-blossom front moves from south to north during the season. I hadn’t known the idiom “in the pink” till now.
ReplyDeleteYoko in the pink
Dear Yoko - glad that you are 'in the pink'. You also have a very pretty pink avatar. It wont be too long before Japan is showing her pink side again - a few more weeks - what a lovely thought.
DeleteA lovely collection of pink images, just the thing to brighten a miserable winters evening.
ReplyDeleteSarah x
I think that it is perhaps a little bit of escapism on my part Sarah, from all the red and gold that is around at the moment.
DeleteThanks for this course in pink! It inspires me to find citations in German referring to pink. I hope you are in the pink, Rosemary!
ReplyDeleteChrista
Certainly am Christa - hope you are too.
DeleteSuch a refreshing post, Rosemary. I'm feeling a bit overly surrounded by the red and green, traditional of Christmas - and this was like a fizz of lovely sherbet and a wonderful feast for the eye.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Axxx
Dear Annie - a fizz of lovely sherbet is a great description. Lovely to hear from you - thank you.
Delete