Plants on the Minoan and Mycenaean Frescoes and Their Reflections in the 20thCentury Czech Art

The introductory chapter of my thesis is devoted to the technology of wall paintings. In order to understand the meaning and significance of plants in Minoan and Mycenaean cultures, the next chapter surveys Minoan and Mycenaean religion, which was closely connected with the domain of symbolic meaning of plants, trees and gardens. The third chapter deals with representations of plants in Minoan and Mycenaean art. Its first part gives the botanic description of plants, whose representation in visual art is expected, as to get a safe background to recognize the individual representations of plants on frescoes. Then there follow the catalogue of frescoes with floral subjects and a list of plants represented on particular frescoes. The following part summarizes the evidence of floral motifs on pottery, gems, jewellery and other Minoan and Mycenaean small objects. The last chapter brings several examples of artists using Minoan models as their inspiration in the Czech art from the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. Key Words: Minoan and Mycenaean frescoes; gems; seals; jewellery; floral motifs; goddesses and plants; selected plants of Greece; Knossos; Amnissos; Ayia Triadha; Phaistos; Katsamba; Mallia; Palaikastro; Prasa; Tylissos; Zakros; Akrotiri; Ayia Irini; Phylakopi; Avaris;..