Romance Awareness Month: Tragic Love in Art
Love is in the air! At least for August that is – it’s officially Romance Awareness Month!
What exactly does that mean, you ask? To be honest, here at Bluethumb, we’re not entirely sure either, but we thought it was a great excuse to showcase some of our talented artists and their love-inspired artworks.
So, snuggle up with your nearest and dearest and think of this like a Nicholas Sparks novel. That’s right, it’s time to get the tissues out. This post, dear readers, is about heartbreak.
First off the mark is De Gillett’s haunting piece Skindeep.
The hauntingly beautiful painting Skindeep was inspired by artist De Gillett’s own experience.
According to De, recovering from a broken heart takes time (and paint).
“It was almost three years after this failed relationship before I was able to exorcise it with this work.
“The beautiful woman pictured here sits broken-hearted; her heel, in accordance with folklore, ritually pressed to her vulva, preventing the likely egress of her ruptured self.”
De says the woman grasps the thorny stems of roses – long a symbol of love, and despairingly searches for understanding and succour.
“The scarred stigmata of her tattooed skin speaks of pretence on the part of her erstwhile lover; who has promised abundance, and delivered nothing.”
Although Skindeep depicts a tragic circumstance, De has created a beautiful artwork which many of us can relate to.
Jane Ianniello’s realistic style in her work Jungle Dream really captures the essence of the biblical story.
They say betrayal can only happen if you love, and this portrait illustrating the classic tale of Samson and Delilah says it all.
Jane Ianniello‘s piece, Jungle Dream, was inspired by Delilah who fell in love with Samson when he became engaged to her sister, Semadar.
“She betrayed him because she wanted to avenge the deaths of her father and sister, which she thought were caused because of Samson.
“His blindness and torture make her feel deep remorse over her betrayal.”
According to the story, Delilah later attends the public torture of Samson wielding a whip which she uses to guide him to the temple where he is then tied to the support pillars.
“Once he stands between them, he tells Delilah to flee, but she remains, unseen by him, as he pushes the pillars apart,” Jane says.
“The pillars give way and the temple collapses, burying Samson, Delilah, and all the Philistines inside alive, including the court.”
A truly gut-wrenching and heart-breaking scenario perfectly depicted in this portrait.
Whether you relate to the couple or the lonesome figure, After the Rain by Erin Nicholls pulls on all of our heartstrings.
Following on from the emotional whirlwind that is Samson and Delilah comes After The Rain by Erin Nicholls. A more down to earth and realistic scene, yet almost equally as tragic as many of us are able to empathise with the characters.
Erin says her artwork depicts a young couple on a date night.
“A lone man is walking past carrying his shopping. It is a bittersweet image as the young couple are happy on their way out for a romantic dinner, while the lone man, bathed in blue, walks home alone.
“This shows the two sides of love – being in love, and being alone,” she says.
Header Image: ROMEO AND JULIET by Shakespeare, Writer – William Shakespeare, Director – Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh, Set and Costume Designer – Christopher Oram, Lighting – Howard Hudson, The Garrick Theatre, London, 2016, Credit: Johan Persson
