Declarations Of Love In Art History
By Leah Morissey
Throughout history, art and love have been closely intertwined. Declarations of love can be found in all forms of art, music, poetry, painting, and sculpture. Whether it is romantic love, platonic love, love of nature or love of art itself, love undeniably pervades art. As this list is non-exhaustive and quite personal, I’m sure some of your favourites will be excluded and for that I apologise. I consider these to be the most beautiful declarations of love in the history of art.
This Must Be the Place - Talking Heads
David Byrne’s song perfectly captures that feeling of uncertainty and joy upon falling in love. It’s widely believed that he wrote it upon meeting Adelle Lutz, who he would later marry. ‘This Must Be the Place’ is striking in its difference from the rest of the Talking Heads’ repertoire. It has an airy quality, it is unrushed and unhurried, and it mirrors the cautious act of falling in love, yet undeniably celebrates it. The lyrics, though slightly disjointed and lacking in a clear narrative, reveal glimpses of the blossoming love between the couple. David Byrne magically recreated the feeling of falling in love in this song, and that is what makes ‘This Must Be the Place’ so special.
The Kiss - Gustav Klimt
An article on love and declarations of love would be incomplete without mentioning Klimt’s masterpiece ‘The Kiss’. Klimt’s painting features the use of gold leaf, which highlights the richness of the scene before the viewer. The female figure is almost consumed by the large male figure, yet it is her face exposed to the viewer, revealing her eyes closed in expectation. The man’s face is turned towards her, placing a delicate kiss on her cheek. Intimacy and love pours out of this painting, inviting the viewer to enjoy it, yet while also keeping the viewer at a distance. The couple are in their own bubble, inaccessible to the world, making the painting all the more romantic and beautiful.
The Underground - Seamus Heaney
This poem tells the story of Heaney’s honeymoon. It is laden with imagery and allusions to mythology, adding an almost otherworldly, magical element to the poem. This mythical element contrasts with the very real setting, the tunnels of the London Underground. Heaney relays the feelings of ambiguity that the young couple, just married, were experiencing. The thrill of the unknown that comes with being in love is the cornerstone of this poem. It is a beautiful snapshot of a young couple in love.
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
Ewan MacColl, the Scottish songwriter, wrote ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ for the woman he was having an affair with, and would later marry. Lyrically, this song is heartbreakingly beautiful, encapsulating the joy of love. It is overflowing with romance and adoration. Flack’s version is slow, but that slow pace of the song allows the listener to become truly engulfed by the beauty of the lyrics. The slow pace, combined with Flack’s hauntingly graceful voice makes this song one of the most poignant and engaging declaration of loves in history.
Baiser de l’Hôtel de Ville - Robert Doisneau
The French photographer’s image of the kissing couple is famous across the globe. It depicts a young couple, walking through the streets of Paris, sharing a kiss. The world carries on around them, unaware and uncaring of the intimate moment taking place beside them. While there is some controversy that the image was staged, that is not completely true. The pair was a couple, friends of the photographer himself, and Doisneau caught their real kiss. The picture encapsulates the surreptitious joy of romance. It highlights the delight that love brings as it breaks from the mundane. This photo, staged or not, is a truly beautiful declaration of love.
In Bed: The Kiss - Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created multiple paintings depicting the women of a Parisian brothel. ‘In Bed: The Kiss’ is a tear-inducingly intimate display of love between two female prostitutes. The warm, rich colours of red and yellow, compared to the cool blues and greens in the background, emphasise the warmth and safety that can be found in the love for one another. This painting captures a moment of love between two women, one not often seen in the 19th century. It does so without hyper-sexualising the relationship of the two women, but by painting a clear image of the love they had for one another - something difficult to find, even today.
The Good Morrow – John Donne
In this poem, the speaker is addressing his lover. The first line, ‘I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I did, till we loved?’ opens the poem with a rhetorical question that sets the tone for the poem. The speaker then goes on to reveal that he must have been a child, or asleep prior to meeting his love, because he had never before experienced the joy that awakened with the union. This poem, abundant with declarations of love and imagery rich in metaphorical meaning, is a beautiful tribute to love and the world of couples madly in love.
La Vie En Rose – Grace Jones
Though I adore Édith Piaf’s original version of the song, there is magic in Grace Jones’ rendition of this song. Jones’ created an explosive masterpiece, truly celebrating loving and being loved. The long, layered intro before Jones even begins to sing creates an almost sensual musical backdrop to her powerhouse voice. Her voice, alternating between subdued vocals and energetic belting, adds to that feeling of rejoicing in love. Declarations of love can feel deeply personal, I’m sure many of these artists did not know that they had touched upon something that so many people would cherish. These pieces of art can reflect our own experiences of love back at us. They resonate deeply within us, enriching our human experience, and that is why we treasure them.
