Folk Art Needlepoint

Viola Tricolor: a Novel and Therapeutic Remedy

The common name of Pansy (older form ‘Pawnce,’ as in Spenser) is derived from the French pensées, the name which is still used in France. Shakespeare’s Ophelia says of pansies in Hamlet, “There’s a pansy, that’s for thought,” because their name comes from French pensée, “thought.” In traditional “flower language,” pansy’s three colors-purple, white, and yellow-stand for memories, loving thoughts, and souvenirs, all of which ease the hearts of separated lovers. Pansy therefore is also called by the name heartsease.

Wild pansy is indigenous to or naturalized in large parts of Europe and the Middle East as far as Central Asia, also found through the United States. In the Lithuanian flora wild pansy habitats areas have been fast reducing; this not only limits the availability of the reserves of medicinal raw materials for pharmacy and therapy needs but also causes a menace to survival of species. [1,2,3]

The wild species is an annual, but from it the countless varieties of the perennial garden pansies, with blossoms of large size and singular beauty, are supposed to have originated.

Macroscopic Feature

The flowers vary a great deal in colour and size, but are either purple, yellow or white, and most commonly there is a combination of all these colours in each blossom. The upper petals are generally most showy in colour and purple in tint, while the lowest and broadest petal is usually a more or less deep tint of yellow. The flowers with a long peduncle, are zygomorphic , with 5 oval , lanceolate sepals, an appendage pointed outwards and 5 petals of which the lower one bears a spur.

. The stem is angular and hollow. The leaves are oval, petiolate, with a cordate base or elongated and obtuse, with lyrate stipules, divided in the middle. The andromecium consist of 5 stamens bears at the apex a membranous connective appendage with 2 spurs

The triocular ovary shows a a short style and globular stigmata. The fruits are navicular capsules, three lobed yellowish brown, 5mm to 10mm long. The pale yellow, pyriform seeds are about 1mm long, bearing a caruncle. [4]

Synonyms

Wild Pansy. Love-Lies-Bleeding. Love-in-Idleness. Live-in-Idleness. Loving Idol. Love Idol. Cull Me. Cuddle Me. Call-me-to-you. Jackjump-up-and-kiss-me. Meet-me-in-the-Entry. Kiss-her-in-the-Buttery. Three-Faces-under-a-Hood. Kit-run-in-the-Fields. Pink-o’-the-Eye. Kit-run-about. Godfathers and Godmothers. Stepmother. Herb Trinitatis. Herb Constancy. Pink-eyed-John. Bouncing Bet. Flower o’luce. Bird’s Eye.Bullweed.Anglo-Saxon)Banwort,Banewort.(French)Pensée.

History:

Wild pansy (Viola tricolor L.) has a history in folk medicine of helping respiratory

problems such as bronchitis, asthma, and cold symptoms. The drugs and extracts are prepared from raw material of pansy; it is a component of some prepared expectorant, dermatological medicines and tonics, alteratives, and anti-phlebitis remedies. John Gerard’s Herball (1597) quotes medical opinion that pansy tea is effective for infantile convulsions, goes on to commend it for “chest and lung inflammations,” and also speaks of its effectiveness externally for scabs, itching, and ulcers. This external use caused pansy to be listed for a time in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, and has continued in herbal medicine. [1]

Art And Culture

The pansy remains a favorite image in the arts, culture, and crafts, from needlepoint to ceramics. Shakespeare and other famous personalities of 19th and 20th century was quite impressed with its beauty .There were some instances from which we can assume the cultural importance of the plant

In 1827, Pierre-Joseph Redouté painted Bouquet of Pansies.

In 1926, Georgia O’Keeffe created a famous painting of a black pansy called simply, Pansy. She followed with White Pansy in 1927.

D. H. Lawrence wrote a book of poetry entitled Pansies: Poems by D. H. Lawrence.

In ancient days the plant was much used for its potency in love charms, hence perhaps its name of Heartsease It is this flower that plays such an important part as a love-charm in William Shakespeare’s play Midsummer Night’s Dream. (Act II, Scene I see also: Oberon at II, i)

The folkloric language of flowers is more traditional than scientific, with conventional interpretations, similar to the clichés about animals such as the “clever fox” or “wise owl”. Ophelia’s oft-quoted line, “There’s pansies, that’s for thoughts”, in Hamlet (Act IV, Scene V)

The Pansy is a symbol of the Delta Delta Delta women’s fraternity, and represents the alumni members.

The celebrated Quesnay, founder of the ‘Economists,’ physician to Louis XV, was called by the king his ‘thinker,’ and given, as an armorial bearing, three pansy flowers.

In many old Herbals the plant is called Herba Trinitatis, being dedicated by old writers to the Trinity, because it has in each flower three colours [1]

Vernacular name : Heartsease; pensée sauvage (French); Feldstiefmütterchen (German); viola del pensiero (Italian).

Habitat

Pansy is native to Europe, North Africa, and temperate regions of Asia, and has become naturalized in the Americas. Pansy thrives in many habitats, from grassy mountainous areas to coastal sites, and is cultivated as a garden plant, is abundantly met with almost throughout Britain. It is a very widely distributed plant, found not only throughout Britain, but in such diverse places as Arctic Europe, North Africa, Siberia and N.W. India. Though found on hedge banks and waste ground, it seems in an especial degree a weed of cultivation, found most freely in cornfields and garden ground. It blossoms almost throughout the entire floral season, expanding its attractive little flowers in the early days of summer and keeping up a succession of blossom until late in autumn. [2,3]

Cultivation

Pansy breeding has produced a wide range of flower colors including yellow, gold, orange, purple, violet, red, white, and even black (dark purple) many with large showy face markings. A large number of bicolored flowers have also been produced. These are generally very cold drought resistant plant surviving freezing even during their blooming period. Plants grow well in sunny or partially sunny positions in well draining soils. Pansies are developed from viola species that are normally biennials with a two-year life cycle. The first year plant produce greenery and then bear flowers and seeds their second year of growth and afterwards die like annuals. Most biennials are purchased as packs of young plants from the nurseries and planted directly into the garden soil. Under favorable conditions, pansies and viola can often be grown as perennial plants, but are generally treated as annuals or biennial plants because after a few years of growth the stems become long and scraggly. Plants grow up to nine inches (23 cm) tall, and the flowers are two to three inches (about 6 cm) in diameter, though there are some smaller and larger flowering cultivars available too. Pansies are winter hardy and they can even survive between -37°C to -12°C (zones 4-8.) They can survive light freezes and short periods of snow cover, in areas with prolonged snow cover they survive best with a covering of a dry winter mulch. In warmer climates, i.e. -7°Cto+4°C (zones 9-11), pansies can bloom over the winter, and are often planted in the fall. In these climates, pansies have been known to reseed themselves and come back the next year. Pansies are not very heat-tolerant; they are best used as a cool season planting, warm temperatures inhibit blooming and hot muggy air causes rot and death. In colder zones, pansies may not persist without snow cover or protection (mulch) from the extreme cold.

Pansies should be watered thoroughly about once a week, depending on climate and rainfall. To maximize blooming, plant food should be used about every other week, according to the plant food directions

COLLECTION AND HARVESTING

The herb can be collected throughout its growing season from March to August

 CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS

 The pansy (Viola L.) is the only non-tropical genus of the tropical Violaceae Out of the several species of pansy; two are medicinal: wild (V. tricolorL.) and field (V. arvensis Murray) pansy not much differing in habitat and content of active substances and usage.

 Chemical Constituents [5,6,7,8]Salicylic acid derivatives (Methyl salicylic Acid and Violutoside )

Percentage occurrence 0.3%

Usages Salicylic acid has keratinolytic properties and is applied topically in the treatment hyperkeratotic and scaling conditions such as dandruff, ichthyosis and psoriasis. Initially a concentration of 2% is used increasing to about 6% if necessary.

Chemical Constituents [5,6,7,8] Mucilages (made up of glucose galactose arabinose and rhamnose )

Percentage occurrence 10.0%

Chemical Constituents [5,6,7,8] Tannins

Percentage occurence 2.4 %

Usages Anti-inflammatory effect

Chemical Constituents [5,6,7,8] Flavonoids

Percentage occurence 4.5%

a) Usages Flavonoids like Rutin and Violanthin is also an antioxidant, and therefore plays a role in inhibiting some cancers. reduce inflammation and oxidation, accelerating the healing of derma and

 Chemical Constituents [5,6,7,8] Carotenoids (violaxanthin zeaxanthin

Percentage occurence 3.41%

Usages These molecules reduce inflammation and oxidation, accelerating the healing of dermatitis.

Chemical Constituents Coumarin

Usages It can occur either free or combined with the sugar glucose (coumarin glycoside) in pansy. Coumarin has blood-thinning, anti-fungicidal and anti-tumor activities. Coumarin should not be taken while using anticoagulants. Coumarin increases the blood flow in the veins and decreases capillary permeability. Coumarin can be toxic when used at high doses for a long period

 

Chemical Constituents Violine

 

Usages

Wild Pansy contains an acrid and poisonous principle unique molecule, violine, resembles emetine in its action, is a pale-yellow or white powder of bitter and acrid taste, more soluble in water than emetine, insoluble in ether, quite soluble in alcohol, and forming an insoluble compound with tannin solution. It also exists in other plants of this family, particularly in the rhizomes of the perennial, and especially the stemless species of violet

In internal use, this molecule is responsible for its laxative and depurative effects in the treatment of dermatitis. At high dosages, violine has an emetic effect.

Useful Parts of Viola tricolor

1. Flowers It has cooling,emollient and cathartic Bronchitis and Rheumatism, mucolytic, sweltering, blood-cleansing effect

2. Roots It has emeto-cathartic Purgative property

3. Seeds Used as a Laxatives, Uric acid gravel Emetic, Purgative, mucolytic, sweltering, blood-cleansing effect

4. Leaves Used as Emetic , keratinolytic

 Therapeutic Uses

•  Pansy has been used for centuries as an effective expectorant that has been helpful in easing chest problems, such as bronchitis, asthma, whooping cough, lung inflammation and dry coughs.  It is said to help loosen and expel phlegm.  The mucilage in Pansy acts as a demulcent that soothes mucous membranes and eases painful coughs, and the salicylic acid content helps to ease the pain of lung inflammations. .
•  It is believed that the blood cleansing properties of the pansy makes it especially useful for scrofula and skin eruptions in children.  When taken internally, it is said to rid the body of toxic products that cause skin problems, including acne. Due to this property it is used as topically in lotions and poultices, it is said to treat wounds, scabies, boils, itching, rashes, impetigo, acne, swellings and weeping eczema.
• Pansy promotes the flow of urine and expels toxins and waste through the increased urine; and as a diaphoretic, it promotes sweating, which not only cools the body and reduces fever, but it will also further rid the body of toxins through the skin. Therefore it works as a diuretic
•  Pansy is said to strengthen the blood vessels and stabilize capillary membrane fragility and act as a gentle circulatory stimulant.  These qualities are said to help combat arteriosclerosis by improving blood flow and also help in cases of varicose ulcers.
• Pansy is used as a mild sedative and calmative, and has been used to soothe nervous complaints, including hysteria, and it is also considered an anodyne or substance that relieves pain or promotes general comfort
•  Recent studies shows that the cytotoxic cycloids Cycloviacin obtained from Pansy has a anti tumor activity

Conclusion

Pansy is used mostly in three areas, the skin, lungs and urinary system. Pansy may be used in eczema and other skin problems where there is exudate (often called weeping) eczema. As an anti-inflammatory expectorant pansy is used for whooping cough and acute bronchitis where it will soothe and help the body heal itself. For urinary problems pansy will aid in the healing of cystitis and can be used to treat the symptoms of frequent and painful urination.

 

REFERENCES

1. Gaylor, Annie Laurie Rediscovering A Forgotten Symbol Of Freethought – A Pansy For Your Thoughts”. Freethought Today June/July 1997.

2. Scharfetter R. Biographien von Pflanzensippen. Wien. 1953.

3. Spegg H. Planta medica. 1959; 7: 8-23

4.British Pharmacopoeia 2008 Vol 2; The stationary office on behalf of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ; 1649-50

5. Silvija R, Ona R, Nijolë S; 1The cumulation of Wild pansy (Viola tricolor L.) accessions:the possibility of species preservation and usage in medicine ; MEDICINA (2003) 39 tomas, ;414-416

6. Bisset NG, Wichtl M.;. Herbal drugs and phytopharmaceuticals. CRS Press, L.-N.Y.-W. Medpharm GmbHScientific publishers Stuttgart; 2001. ; 527-9.

7. Serbinova E. ;Oxidative damage and repair. ;1991; 77-80.

8. Savickienë N, Dagilytë A, Lukoðius A, Þitkevièius V. ;Importance of biologically active components and plants for the prevention of diabetes mellitus ; Medicina (Kaunas) 2002;38:970-5.

9. T. H. Koopman,J. Naardingsstraat ;Information about ‘MICROBIOTICUM’ manufactured by INEKO bv (The Netherlands Europe);Aver Nv;15-16

 

Husniyeh Kouttainay: Palestinian needlework

The Van Rensselear Children Portrait 1840 antique oil painting ! Folk art $24,900.00

Antique Pair of Iconic American Folk Art Carved Pine Wood Eagle Sculpture – RARE $20,000.00

Metal Art Sculpture Sculptor for Hire Travel Design fabricate install folk art ! $20,000.00

Mamie Falk Folk Art Oil Painting – Considered Minnesota’s “Grandma Moses” $19,750.00

Yuri Gorbachev ORIGINAL Landscape Oil painting Folk Art $17,500.00

Folk Art wood statue of Grover Cleveland 1894 $9,500.00

Antique Ship Captain Folk Art Carved Coconut Chalice $8,500.00

Original Oil On Canvas Painting by Minni Hines Bayou Scene Folk Art 24×48 $8,495.75

Chinese folk art sculpture carving stone inkstone for painting and handwriting $6,890.00

Chinese handcraft folk art stone sculpture carving inkstone inkslab fly dragon $6,329.00

Banjo Boy/ Pre-Civil War Folk Art on Linen $6,000.00

LARGE Antique Americana Folk Art Painting of Boy -Civil War Col. Orlando H Moore $5,999.99

Yuri Gorbachev Original Oil Painting Russian Art Folk $5,990.00

Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone inkslab—Avalokitesvara $5,590.00

AMERICAN FOLK ART PUPPET THEATRE QUEENS,NY $5,000.00

Clementine Hunter Signed Framed Folk Art Painting Cotton Pickin’ c1977 20×26.25 $5,000.00

vincent van gogh sculpture outsider folk art Dale Teachout assemblage junk $5,000.00

Bessie Harvey Folk Art Found Object Museum Piece!!! $5,000.00

PAIR OF 19TH C FOLK ART PORTRAITS PAINTINGS SIGNED P MARTIN 1886 HUSBAND & WIFE $4,999.99

ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY AMERICAN FOLK ART ETCHED GLASS ALLEGHENY CTY PA GERMAN WOW $4,999.99

ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY AMERICAN FOLK ART FISH HOOK MASSIVE IRON TRADE SIGN $4,999.99

Signed OLD master GESSO FRAME OIL ON CANVAS PORTRAIT NELSON pipe Folk art $4,999.00

Clementine Hunter Folk Art Painting Signed “Picking Cotton” $4,850.00

Chinese folk art sculpture carving stone inkstone double dragon holding the sun $4,690.00

FOLK ART OIL PAINTING PORTRAIT CHILD ICONIC RED DRESS PRINCE CHARLES SPANIEL $4,500.00

Corbels Pair Wood Winged Griffins Victorian Old Paint Architectural Folk Art $4,500.00

FOLK ART PAINTING SULLIVAN COUNTY NEW YORK J R GEROW $4,500.00

Exceptional Folk Art Painting $4,500.00

Johnnie Swearingen! Great Folk Art!!! Peddling Melons $4,500.00

New England Folk Art Portrait on Canvas Ca.1830 $4,500.00

Clementine Hunter Signed Framed Folk Art Painting Wash Day c1977 19.25 x 23.25in $4,500.00

A Outstanding Early Trade Axe,Folk Art Hatchet, $4,500.00

Yuri Gorbachev Original Oil Painting Russian Art Folk $4,490.00

FANTASTIC FOLK ART CHEST $4,200.00

Clementine Hunter Signed Framed Folk Art Painting African Headdress c1977 25.5h $4,000.00

ANTIQUE MINIATURE PRIMITIVE FOLK ART WOOD RURAL SCENE FRAMED 12 1/4″ UNIQUE $3,885.00

*RARE TRAMP / FOLK ART Shoe Shine Box – Brass/Wood-Detailed-Ornate-Exquisite $3,800.00

Antique KNOTTY Tree Root Twig FOLK ART CHAIR Set GOODY KOONCH West Virginia $3,750.00

Original Mexican Folk Art Icons Retablo:18-19th century $3,650.00

Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone-an old man finshing alone $3,590.00

Folk Art Hand Carved Soldier,6ft Tall Pick Up Only $3,532.50

Unique/Exceptional Large Oval Folk Art Santa Claus Wood Carving signed Cobb 98 $3,500.00

Painting Vintage 50s Cowboy Folk Art Levis Jeans Vinicur Little Buckaroo Parade $3,500.00

Advertising Art / Folk Art / Christmas Hooked Rug – 5′x3 1/2′ $3,500.00

Johnnie Swearingen! Great Folk Art!!! $3,500.00

Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone inkslab—Lofty aspiration $3,490.00

Terrazzo Marble Micro Mosaic Latin Ethnic Musicians Mural Folk Fine Art $3,374.99

Original Mexican Folk Art Icons Retablo:18-19th century $3,250.00

FINE 19c EARLY FOLK ART PORTRAIT PAINTING $3,225.00

Israel Jewish Art,Sara Hagay,Israeli Folk Dance “hora”,Oil,Judaica,Framed $3,000.00

mud painting signed jimmy sudduth a real folk art outsider master piece $3,000.00

ANTIQUE AMERICAN FOLK ART WOOD CANE ISLE ROYALE FIRE WW2 D DAY GI ? KENOSHA WI $2,999.99

FRANK WYSO OUTSIDER FOLK ARTIST PENNSYLVANIA COAL MINERS 4 WORKS OF ART $2,999.99

King’s Couch Rare One of a Kind Yard Art from Chicago Folk Hand Made furniture $2,999.99

ANTIQUE 19th AMERICAN FOLK ART NATURALIST BUFFALO SETON STYLE CATLIN PAINTING $2,999.99

Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone inkslab man walk in forest $2,999.00

Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone inkslab a man watch moon $2,999.00

fine Chinese handcraft folk art stone sculpture carving inkstone inkslab scenery $2,890.00

Temperance Movement Folk Art Painting Folk Art Temperance Painting $2,850.00

Anonymous Folk Art Carving Figure with Crown in Skirt with Snake $2,799.99

ANTIQUE OIL PAINTING FOLK ART NEW ENGLAND ‘HUGES’ 1892 $2,750.00

Chinese handcraft folk art stone sculpture carving inkstone inkslab with dragon $2,690.00

FOLK ART Antique Wood Polychrome Carved Asian Figure Sculpture $2,500.00

HUGE 37″ Antique 19th American Folk Art Carved Gilt Wood Eagle Statue Americana $2,500.00

Antique Primitive Folk Art Hand Carved Wooden Dough Bowl $2,500.00

FOLK ART OIL PAINTING OF THE SS “OCEAN” STEAMSHIP $2,475.00

Ca. 1820 American Folk Art Painting Deformed Man $2,450.00

James Harold Jennings Amazing and Colorful Folk Art! $2,400.00

Doris Lee – Folk Art Painting – Signed and Titled – Original Condition $2,400.00

DC: Prison Folk Art Matchstick Ship, HUGE 5′ Length $2,379.00

Amazing ORIGINAL NAUTICAL AMERICAN FOLK ART PAINTING $2,285.00

Early 20th Century Folk Art Sheep Painting/ Inside Barn $2,250.00

FOLK ART COLLAGE/Presidential Stamp Collage $2,250.00

Folk Art Handmade Ceramic Sculpture Plaque Dentist Pulling Tooth Dicker Vintage $2,200.00

ANTIQUE Americana TRADE SIGN IMMIGRATION FOLK ART NYC ICE CREAM PUSH CART $2,200.00

Ohio Pioneer Abraham Betz 1818 HANDWRITTEN LESSON BOOK with FOLK ART $2,150.00

HAITIAN ART: Vibrant PAINTING, SIGNED by Renowned Folk Artist TOUSSAINT AUGUSTE $2,150.00

Philippines National Artist Abdul Imao Brass Sculpture w/ Base Mindanao Folk Art $2,100.00

Ellen Eilers Calico Country Folk Art Woodcut Ornamental Trees Rare Early Work $2,000.00

ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY AMERICAN FOLK ART FRUIT STILL LIFE WATERMELON OIL PAINTING $1,999.99

ANTIQUE AMERICAN FOLK ART WOOD BALEEN CARVED SPERM WHALE GROTESQUE AMERICANA WOW $1,999.99

ANTIQUE AMERICAN FOLK ART SHIP LIGHTHOUSE LARGE OIL PAINTING GERNAND VERMIER $1,999.99

Vtg Rutherford Tubby Brown Xmas 25″Folk Art Santa Claus $1,999.99

AMERICAN FOLK ART GAMEBOARD TABLE WITH SWASTIKAS $1,999.00

Chinese handcraft folk art sculpture carving inkstone peasant work on his land $1,999.00

LAURA SIQUEIROS “POSEIDONS ADVENTURE” FOLK ART PAINTING $1,999.00

Old Folk Art Cinderella pre Disney & Kincade Beautiful $1,995.00

Clyde Connell 1943 Folk Art hooked rug signed LISTED $1,900.00

ANTIQUE AMERICAN FOLK ART WOOD CARVING TOBACCO CIGAR TRADE SIGN ? DISPLAY WOW $1,899.99

Chinese folk art sculpture carving stone inkstone for painting and handwriting $1,890.00

WELSH AMERICAN SIGNED FOLK ART PAINTING JFK PT 109 $1,850.00

ORIGINAL TEXAS ARTIST FERGUSON OIL PAINTING FOLK ART $1,822.50

C Peterson ORIGINAL modern FOLKART sculpture SIGN ART painted OUT of WORK tools $1,817.00

48x48x1.5″█OIL▀PAINTING█ART█LARGE█BIG█PAINTINGS█FINE█RAW█MALE█REALISM█FOLK_POP█A $1,800.00

American Folk Art Painting of Little Girl Circa 1825 $1,800.00

Emma Schrock Folk Art 16″ by 12″ $1,795.00

c1920 Girl Knitting Folk Woman Antique Art Signed Oil Estate Painting $1,795.00

Folk Art Wood Carving Listed Folk Artist Albert Hoffman $1,750.00

Folk Art New England Oil on Canvas Painting/Circa 1860 $1,750.00

HUTCH TABLE WITH FOLK ART 4 SEASON ARTIST PAINTED TOP $1,750.00