Chinese Fan Palm
At Breakfast [Ved frokostbordet og morgenaviserne], 1898
L.A. Ring
Oil on Canvas
National Museum, Stockholm, Sweden
L.A. Ring
Oil on Canvas
National Museum, Stockholm, Sweden
L.A Ring a Danish painter is known as a painting pioneer of the 20th century. Ring had created and bridged the subjects of social realism and symbolism painting in Denmark. Often featured in Ring's art is objects that are placed at the edge of the picture. In this painting the painter's wife, Sigrid Kähler is seen in the kitchen during breakfast with a newspaper surrounded by plants, pots, cabinets, and an open doorway. But, just below the far right corner is a palm in a ceramic pot. This palm could possibly be known as the Chinese Fan Palm.
The slow growing, Chinese Fan Palm, or Livistonia chinesis, originates from southern Japan and China. It carries other names such as the Fountain Palm and the Chinese Fountain Palm for its resemblance to a flowing fountain. The palm is in the family of Arecaceae, which includes 188 genera and 2585 species of perennial climbers, shrubs and trees that are commonly known as palm trees.
Palms are often found across the tropics and warm temperate regions of the world. The Livistona is one of the most diverse palms today being found across Africa, southern Arabia, southeastern and eastern Asia, Malesia and Australia.
The Chinese Fan Palm was commercialized and cultivated as an ornamental palm in the horticultural trade. In 1670 when the Baron of Livingston established a botanical garden in Edinburgh, Scotland, he named the plant after its new location calling it Livistona. This plan can be found in many households, gardens, and conservatories.
Unfortunately, there is no green symbolism is attached to Livistona. But, the Aboriginals considered the heart of the plant to be a delicacy, and in the West, it is a popular green air purifier which is why it is a common houseplant. The Livistona is known to remove harmful substances from the air around it and thereby helps to prevent irritated eyes, headache, and fatigue.
As for a reason why Ring had used this particular type of palm in this painting is unclear, maybe he just chose to use the idea of a palm tree for its basic meanings of tranquility, honor, fertility, and warmth when trying to describe his wife, maybe because it also in some cultures is considered the tree of life. But for any reason, Ring used the palm to symbolize his wife and reflect back to the woman he loved.