While the proverb “April showers bring May flowers” is a metaphor for spring, nature’s renewal, and better days to come, it’s also a suggestion to open those umbrellas (outside only, of course) and prepare for Michigan’s wet season.

Umbrellas, also known as parasols, have been used since ancient times as protection against the sun and rain. One of the first documented umbrellas originated in China around 3500 B.C.E. and was made of bamboo sticks and animal skin. At the time, umbrellas were seen as a symbol of status and power, as only emperors and high-ranking officials would have owned or used one.

This story remains true for depictions of umbrellas in art. By the early 1600s, parasols were showing up in European engravings, and most often still depicted as being carried by an attendant over the head of a wealthy patron.  As umbrellas became lighter and more fashionable, women became more interested in carrying and using them. The transition from a luxury item to personal accessory is depicted in many famous paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, John Singer Sargent, Gustave Caillebotte, Claude Monet, and others. While these painted umbrellas may appear to be just practical accessories, they are actually still symbols of elegance, wealth, protection, and leisure.

The next time you open an umbrella—whether for rain or shine—let it serve as a reminder that the weather has bothered humankind for ages and that some of history’s greatest artistic masterpieces capture the umbrellas as a symbol of life’s simple luxuries.

As spring approaches, explore artwork featuring umbrellas in the GVSU Art Museum’s Collection.