Dark Floral Tulip Hand Painted Needlepoint Canvas

This needlepoint canvas is intentionally painted GRAY, to make stitching with BLACK threads a breeze! Design is 8x8" on 13 mesh, total canvas width and height is 12x12". 

Here is the Tulip. Tulips are spring-blooming perennials in the Tulipa genus. Their flowers are usually large, showy, and brightly colored, and come in a wide variety of colors and types. Tulips contain a toxin known as tulipalin, present in all parts of the plant. While deadly toxicity from tulips is rare, it is best practice to always wear gloves when handling bulbs to prevent contact dermatitis. 

Tulips also feature in mythology and stories from all over the world. The Persian legend of the red tulip tells the love story of Farhad and princess Shirin. While having no noble origin or title and nothing else to offer but his loving and open heart, the young man was put to the challenge by the father of the princess, who did not want his beloved daughter to marry a commoner. Thus, the challenge was no easy undertaking, the young man had to cut a passage through the rocks of a mountain and make a stream flow through to the palace. Farhad’s love was so strong that he started his work right away.

As the king found out that the young man was close to accomplishing his task, he thought out another trick to impede Farhad’s marriage with his daughter. He sent a messenger to the young man, to tell him that princess Shirin died of a sudden illness. Overcome with grief, Farhad threw himself from the top of the mountain and where each drop of his blood fell on the barren rocks, a scarlet tulip sprang, as an eternal symbol of his pure and undying love.

As a gardener and an artist, I am excited to bring some more dark florals to needlepoint. These designs bring to mind a dark academia aesthetic, and show a rich and lush color palette for a brooding but elegant look. These flowers aren't meant to be consumed, but they are a joy to admire, both in the garden and in art.