Famous Artworks Inspired by Love
Love and lust are a constant source of inspiration for creatives, from novices to renowned artists. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, we’ve assembled a collection of famous artworks inspired by love. Read on to discover these lovely paintings, and don’t forget to check out this week’s curation, For the Love of Art.
The Kiss by Gustav Klimt
The Kiss by Gustav Klimt is possibly the most famous painting inspired by love. Produced in the early 1900s during Klimt’s goldern phase, the artwork features two gold leaf-adorned figures in a loving embrace. Can you believe this artwork was once labelled pornographic, even though both figures are fully clothed? Despite being critiqued for its erotic symbolism, the Austrian government bought this painting before the artist had completed it. His art reflected his life, as Klimt was known for his polygamist ways and is said to have fathered 14 children. Today you can find The Kiss on display in the Belvedere Museum of Vienna.
The Kiss by Gustav Klimt.
The Embrace by Egon Schiele
Following his wedding to Edith Harms in 1917, Austrian-born painter Egon Schiele’s work became less depressive. Talk about being in the honeymoon phase! The Embrace is a famous self-portrait of Schiele and his wife intertwined in sexual intimacy. Klimt helped pave the way and encouraged Schiele to paint erotic subject matter. Both studied fine arts in Vienna and later engaged in a mentor/mentee relationship. Today you will also find The Embrace on display in the Belvedere Museum of Vienna.
The Embrace by Egon Schiele.
The Lovers by René Magritte
Les Amants (The Lovers) is the first oil painting in a series of artworks created by René Magritte in 1928. Magritte was 30 years old when he painted this passionate kiss between a woman and a man dressed in a black suit. Painting a white cloth over their kissing faces suggests an intimate affair between secret lovers. The tragic death of Magritte’s mother is said to have inspired the veil over the subjects’ faces. At age 14, he reportedly witnessed his mother’s wet nightgown draped over her lifeless body. The Lovers is displayed at the Modern Museum of Art in New York.
The Lovers by René Magritte.
Reclining Couple Reading a Love Letter by Kikugawa Eizan
Japanese artist Kikugawa Eizan created Reclining Couple Reading a Love Letter in the early 19th century. Using the traditional Japanese Nishiki-e technique, Eizan calved these love birds into a woodblock and transferred the image onto paper using multiple coloured inks. The Department of Asian Art at The Minneapolis Institute of Art in Minnesota have Reclining Couple Reading a Love Letter. This famous artwork is not currently on public display. Eizan’s lovers are likely reclining between sheets of archival acid-free paper, as paper prints are highly vulnerable and susceptible to damage.
Reclining Couple Reading a Love Letter by Kikugawa Eizan.
Promenade near Argenteuil by Claude Monet
Are you a fan of Netflix’s original series Bridgerton? If yes, then Promenade near Argenteuil is the artwork for you! Claude Monet painted this impressionist oil painting in 1873. Unlike the previously mentioned artworks inspired by love, this painting is devoid of strong passion and eroticism symbolism. Instead, Monet’s artwork conveys an innocent longing for love reminiscent of modest French society. A cat and mouse, do-they-don’t-they kind of love. Promenade near Argenteuil is one of three hundred Monet artworks displayed in Musée Marmottan Monet, a French gallery dedicated to Claude Monet.
Promenade near Argenteuil by Claude Monet.
Grab your significant other and recreate these famous artworks, or book a trip to see them in person! Plus, don’t forget to check out this week’s curation, For the Love of Art, and grab an artwork inspired by our love of art!
