Editing Crocus (section)

== Culture ==

The crocus or krokos has been known since ancient times, and used in [[decorative arts]], such as the [[Minoan civilization|Minoan]] wall paintings in Santorini from ca.&nbsp;1,600 BC.{{sfn|Trakoli|2021}} Representations of the saffron crocus appear frequently in Minoan art{{sfn|Dewan|2015}} and pervade Aegean art from the [[Early Bronze Age]] to the [[Mycenaean Greece|Mycenaean]] period.{{sfn|Day|2011}} [[Theophrastos]] (4th century BC) described the saffron crocus as being valued as a spice and dye, while [[Homer]] compares a sunrise to the flower colour.{{sfn|De Hertogh et al|2012|pp=3–4}} Saffron coloured robes were much admired by women in antiquity{{sfn|Smith|1859|pp=214,384,856,892}} and gave the garment Crocota its name.{{sfn|Smith|1859|pp=369–370}} The oil was also valued as a cosmetic.{{sfn|Smith|1859|p=1214}} According to Greek legend Crocus or [[Krokus (mythology)|Krokus]] ({{langx|el|Κρόκος}}), was a mortal youth the gods turned into a plant bearing his name, the crocus, after his death caused by his great desire and unfulfilled love for the shepherdess [[Smilax (mythology)|Smilax]].{{sfn|Lehner|Lehner|2003}} Other versions state that as he died three tears fell into the flower becoming its three stigmata.{{sfn|Schmitz|1850}}{{sfn|European Commission|2022}}

Crocuses occur in many flower paintings, one of the earliest being that of [[Ambrosius Bosschaert]]'s ''Composed Bouquet of Spring Flowers'' (1620). In this painting the cream-colored crocus feathered with bronze at the base of the bouquet reflected varieties on the market at that time. Bosschaert, working from a preparatory drawing to paint his composed piece spanning the whole of spring, exaggerated the crocus so that it passes for a tulip, but its narrow, grass-like leaves give it away.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}} 
  
The crocus is used in many contexts to symbolically denote spring and new beginnings. For instance, it was used as the emblem of the [[2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup]] in [[Poland]] to symbolise the emergence of new talent.{{sfn|FIFA|2018}}
{{
multiple image | header = Crocus in art| align = center | direction = | total_width= 450| float = 
| image1 =Tacuinum Sanitatis Crocus.jpg|caption1 = Woman picking saffron crocus<br />c.1400<br />([[Tacuinum Sanitatis]])|alt1=Illustration of a woman picking saffron crocuses from around 1400| width1={{#expr: (150 * 1900 /1425) round 0}} 
| image2 =Ambrosius Bosschaert, the Elder 03.jpg| caption2 = ''Composed Bouquet of Spring Flowers''<br />[[Ambrosius Bosschaert]] c.1620| alt2 = Flower painting by Ambrosius Bosschaert 1620| width2={{#expr: (150 * 1900 /1425) round 0}} 
| image3 =Illustration of Crocus Wellcome L0064357.jpg| caption3=Saffron crocus<br />[[Van de Passe family|Crispijn van de Passe]], 1614| alt3= Saffron crocus from 1614 book | width3={{#expr: (150 * 1500 /1155) round 0}}
| image4 =Decorative Landscape with Crocuses by Grant Wood, 1912.jpg| caption4=''Decorative Landscape with Crocuses''<br />[[Grant Wood]], 1912| alt4= Painting of crocuses by Grant Wood from 1912 titled Decorative Landscape with Crocuses | width4={{#expr: (150 * 1500 /1155) round 0}}
}}
{{clear}}