Whether Valentine’s day is a day to enjoy with one’s significant other,
or just a commercial creation conjured up by corporate conspiracy to make
money; there is no denying the impact that it has on our society.
How love is visually represented is wide and varied; from traditional
depictions of couples sharing a moment of intimacy by embracing and being
intertwined almost as one, through the written form, to the tragedy of a doomed
romance. From Renaissance paintings to Contemporary Art, love is an emotion universally
explored and understood.
To celebrate the day I have come up with my favourite paintings,
sculptures and artwork that represent the notion of ‘love’.
Where does one start when describing and commenting about this iconic
painting? The organic representation of a couple embracing is my favourite
image of love. The characteristic combination of oil paints and gold leaf of
Klimt’s The Kiss, creates an intense
and extravagant image. The use of gold leaf, especially on the couple’s form,
highlights the notion of intimacy and closeness. Even though the flesh tones
seem cold, to me there is warmth that radiates from this image. Ultimately a
symbol of love, and one of my all-time-favourites.
Romeo and Juliet, Frank Bernard Dicksee, Oil on canvas, 1884,
In 2012 survey of the most Romantic pieces of artwork on display in the
UK, Frank Bernard Dicksee’s Romeo and
Juliet came in top place, making it a worthy inclusion in ‘The Art of
Love’. Depicting the last time that the star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet,
will see each other alive, this painting is full of rich colour and heightened
emotions. A story of tragedy and sorrow, Dicksee perfectly captures a moment of
raw emotion and passion. The painting creates the impression that even death
won’t ruin love, and that it is an emotion that will continue through the ages.
.jpg)
This marble sculpture of an embracing couple has become an iconic
representation of love. Its blend of passion, intimacy and romance, makes The Kiss a perfect addition in this article on ‘The Art of
Love’. The rendering of a nude
couple refers to the classical tradition, and makes the sculpture not overtly
sexual. The Kiss depicts a 13th
century Italian noblewoman from Dante’s Inferno
who fell in love with her husband’s younger brother. Upon discovering the
couple’s secret the noblewoman’s husband kills them. The Classical style and
technique used in a modern piece of sculpture intensifies the idea of love as a
universal emotion and experience, just like Valentine’s Day, that has endured throughout
the centuries.
This early Renaissance painting represents a harmonious embrace between
Hercules and his wife Deianira. However, not all may seem well in this
encounter, as the silver cloak that Deianira sits on is the cloak that will
eventually engulf Hercules in flames when he wears it, causing him to die. Even though this is a slightly deformed and
some-what weird depiction of the human form, there is no denying the love
presented between the two mythological characters. A love that can be seen back
in Greek mythological tales has lasted throughout the years.
The Meeting on
Turret Stairs, Frederick William Burton, Watercolour, 1864
Named Ireland’s favourite
painting, Burton’s The Meeting on
Turret Stairs tells of a stolen moment between two lovers, similar to
Dicksee’s Romeo and Juliet. The
subject matter originated from a famous Medieval Danish ballad, and shows the
final parting of Helellil and Hildebrand before both are eventually killed by
the results of their tragic affair. A fusion of romance and tragedy, The Meeting on Turret Stairs expresses a
hopelessness and forbidden love, emphasised by the ‘x’ of Hildebrand’s arms and
the lack of eye contact. A representation of the forbidden and doomed aspect of
love that may still be experienced today.
Using the style from Classical busts and statues, Koons Bourgeois Bust represents a couple
embracing. Wanting to create something that was ‘very romantic’, by placing the
male’ hand toward the female’s heart, and the couples body positioning creates
the shape of a heart, intensifying the love portrayed.
Bourgeois Bust is a reflection of Koon’s own marriage to porn star
Ilona Staller, which was created the year they got married. Seems a little sad
however to find out that they later divorced in 1998.
Although some-what kitsch, this marble bust has an endearing quality linking
the notion of classical goddesses of love with modern forms of romance.
We Two Boys Together Clinging, David Hockney, Oil on board, 1961
A Young David Hockney completed We
Two Boys Together Clinging towards the end of his second year the Royal
College of Art. This deconstructed, crude and raw painting is a political
statement above love, with this particular subject matter and execution being
specifically chosen for its effects. The breaking down of visual representation
and traditional stylistic qualities for an abstract portrayal, Hockney comments
on the way in which society forces and expects people to respond and experience
love. During a time when homosexuality was still illegal in England, Hockney
takes his inspiration for the subject matter from lines from Walt Whitman’s
poem, which he then uses as the title to the piece: We Two Boys Together Clinging. This portrayal of a passionate kiss
between the lovers suggests love that was forced to be a secret and hidden from
the world, but through the medium of paint is now visible to all.
I promise to Love you, Tracy Emin, Clear red neon lights, 2007
Tracy Emin - an artist full of controversy and the power to created
mixed reactions just by the sound of her name – has used the medium of neon
lights to portray particular emotions and feelings, and her notion of love.
This particular piece by Emin has been included in this article for numerous
reasons. The brightness of the illuminated red neon lights with the words
slowly glowing to spell themselves out and the eventual building up of red
lighting portrays the power of love, and the promise that the many throughout
the world make. This almost soul-bearing confession links effortlessly with the
idea of love and Valentine’s Day, as millions of couples across the world
celebrate their intimate love for one another. The fact that on Valentine’s Day
2008, Emin donated I promise to Love you to
a charity auction ‘(Auction) RED’ to raise money for The Global Fund to help
women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa, was a message that to me
that means ‘love’. Raising over £100,000, I
promise to Love you emphasises the different forms of love that can be
experienced not only on Valentine’s day, but throughout the years and world.
Whether you like Tracy Emin or not, I promise to Love you offers an endearing idea of the emotions and
feelings experienced through love. Urgh someone hand me the bucket, I’m getting
too soppy.
You can see my article here on HardZine: http://www.hardzine.com/the-art-of-love/
No comments:
Post a Comment