Roses in the world: Meanings, Symbolism, and Tattoo Designs

A classic natural beauty, roses are one of the most recognizable flowers in the whole world. Easily identifiable and loved in art and culture, roses have been a staple and constant image in human history and has influenced art and people for many years. As with many forms of popular imagery and symbols, the rose has found its way into tattooing long ago and has no plans of leaving anytime soon. Le’s take a look at roses in the tattoo world and go over history, tattoo designs, meanings, and more.

History and Culture

Roses have been prevalent in many facets of the human world, frequently mentioned in religion, art, and stories. For example, the Romans lit rose petals and rose incense to showcase wealth and status. Romans also coined the term ”sub-rosa”, which means “under the rose”. A sign of confidentiality, roman dining halls adorned with roses to remind guests to keel quiet of the conversations had. It was also a symbol of beauty and seduction to romans. Wealthy romans filled their chambers with bushels of roses to fill the air with a sweet smell before romantic encounters and to boost lust.

Equally, The greeks have history with the rose as well. The greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, had adorned her head, neck, and feet with roses. In christianity, the rose is a symbol of the Virgin Mary since third century AD. She is very often referred to as ”The rose with no thorns”. Similarly, Shakespeare, and many other writers used roses as a symbol of love and virtue. Roses can be seen in many classical paintings, such as ’A Summers Rose’ by Émile Vernon. Roses seemed to have influenced all corners of the world!

Tattoo designs and symbolism

Roses are on of the most common images in tattooing. Coming in almost every color and having a very easily adaptable shape, a rose can modified and changed to fit any person of any tastes. Furthermore, roses can be standalone tattoos or an accessory to a bigger or preexisting tattoo. Roses and skulls, roses in women’s hair, snake wrapped around a rose; the possibilities are endless!

The meaning of the rose can even change with the color as well. Red roses usually symbolize love, lust, and passion. Pink roses can symbolize innocence, gratitude, and affection. Purple roses can be seen as symbols of wealth and royalty. Blue roses can represent impossibility and wonder. Yellow roses symbolizes luck, friendship, and happiness. Yellow roses are also a poplar symbol of Texas. Black roses symbolize death, mourning, and grief. White roses represent purity. Additionally, rose tattoos can be shaped to accommodate any body part and body type and are one of the most versatile tattoo designs.

In summary, roses are a classic tattoo that will never go out of style. Deep with history and meaning, this beautiful flower is sure to stick around for a long time. Versatile and bold, there’s a way to make a rose for anyone. Consider getting a rose tattoo and you won’t regret it! For more information, check out this article or follow or blog to keep updated on tattoo information.

Traditional rose tattoo
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Kristen Navarro