Follow along as my friend, Jeffrey, and I read this painting to uncover the meaningful subtleties and dramatic twists that make this ardent kiss so much more passionate than even your immediate response would suggest!
This is a painting that many have seen before and immediately respond positively to, but there's so much more going on than an initial glance can communicate! Follow along as my friend, Jeffrey, and I read this painting to uncover the meaningful subtleties and dramatic twists that make this ardent kiss so much more passionate than even your immediate response would suggest! What literary or cinematic scenes does this painting remind you of?
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Here is the fifteenth of sixteen of my favorite artworks depicting romantic love in its various forms. A young painter quietly sketches on his board while his wife sits beside him looking on. Though they are both keenly staring at the drawing and not each other, the undercurrent of intimacy is present throughout. What details of intimacy can you spot? It is thought that Leighton deliberately withheld the painting from being exhibited after it's initial showing to the public. Contemporaries seemed to have believed that it was because the subject matter was too personal for the shy, private painter. Leighton, however, was unmarried. Here is the fourteenth of sixteen of my favorite artworks depicting romantic love in its various forms. The subtitle to this sorrowful parting is Hellelil and Hildebrand. The story is taken from a Medieval Danish ballad. The princess, Hellelil, was in love with a knight named Hildebrand--a love her father would disapprove of. When the king eventually found out about the affair, he demanded that Hildebrand come out of her chamber to die at the hands of his fellow knights. Hildebrand left Hellelil ready to fight and die.
Here is the thirteenth of sixteen of my favorite artworks depicting romantic love in its various forms. I'll be adding one artwork a day to the blog until Valentine's Day! "Like", "Tweet", and "Comment" on your favorites. The most liked artwork will be featured in my next video! Sappho (seated at the podium) was an Ancient Greek poet who flourished in the 6th century BC. She wrote love poetry and was thought to have disdained men's attempts at writing about love.
Alcaeus was a poet himself and was believed by tradition to have been Sappho's lover. In this scene, it's clear that Sappho is far from feeling disdain for Alcaeus' song! Here is the twelfth of sixteen of my favorite artworks depicting romantic love in its various forms. I'll be adding one artwork a day to the blog until Valentine's Day! "Like", "Tweet", and "Comment" on your favorites. The most liked artwork will be featured in my next video! Click to Enlarge! Francesco Hayez chose not to illustrate any particular story in this painting because he wanted to draw attention to the kind of kiss depicted and not any specific characters or scene. So, What kind of kiss is this? This is clearly a passionate kiss as he envelops her in his cloak, bends her head and torso back, and tenderly presses his fingers to her face. But there is much more going on! To assist you in figuring out the rest here are some helpful questions: -Where is this kiss taking place? What kind of mood does it evoke? -What are they wearing? What do their clothes suggest about who they are and their positions in society? -Take a close look in the shadows behind the frame of the archway. What do you see? How would you summarize the moment depicted? For one answer, watch the "Art Chat" video! Here is the eleventh of sixteen of my favorite artworks depicting romantic love in its various forms. I'll be adding one artwork a day to the blog until Valentine's Day! "Like", "Tweet", and "Comment" on your favorites. The most liked artwork will be featured in my next video! Click on images to enlarge! The Black Brunswickers were a volunteer corps formed in 1809 to fight against Napoleon. In this scene, a young soldier of that corps is departing his beloved. He holds onto his cap with one hand and with the other is pulling open the door. She tries to stop him from leaving, pressing her hand to his chest while grabbing the doorknob to push it closed. There's one key question that will help you understand the full complexity of the conflict in this scene. Whose home is this? His, hers, or theirs? (Hint: Look closely at the image on the wall and at the dog. Knowing who is depicted in that image is key to understanding the conflict.) An insightful comparison can be made with another Millais painting called The Huguenot Lover (and featured in Touching The Art!). How are these two departure scenes different? Here is the tenth of sixteen of my favorite artworks depicting romantic love in its various forms. I'll be adding one artwork a day to the blog until Valentine's Day! "Like", "Tweet", and "Comment" on your favorites. The most liked artwork will be featured in my next video! Click images to enlarge Two young women have left the social gathering to go spend some time with each other outside (probably to chat about boys). Suddenly, in the distance, they see someone who catches their eye--a handsome young man goes by not aware that the two lovely women are staring at him. As these two friends look on, their expressions reveal what this young man means to each. What could each be thinking? Who do you think is most interested in the young man? Here is the ninth of sixteen of my favorite artworks depicting romantic love in its various forms. I'll be adding one artwork a day to the blog until Valentine's Day! "Like", "Tweet", and "Comment" on your favorites. The most liked artwork will be featured in my next video! Click on the images to see a larger version! When have you felt like Juliet does? You don't want the embrace of departure to end, and you hold onto it as long as you can. Romeo is secretly leaving Juliet's room on the morning following their wedding night. How can you tell he is ready to leave? How can you tell that she wants to continue the embrace? (Hint: look at their hands, eyes, and postures.) Here is the eighth of sixteen of my favorite artworks depicting romantic love in its various forms. I'll be adding one artwork a day to the blog until Valentine's Day! "Like", "Tweet", and "Comment" on your favorites. The most liked artwork will be featured in my next video! Click on the images to see a larger version The young woman has just noticed something outside her tower that has distressed her, that has made her start to yearn for something she does not have. Notice the differences in this study for "I Am Half-Sick of Shadows". There is one slight addition in the sketch that stresses what she feels is missing from her life. Can you spot it? Here is the seventh of sixteen of my favorite artworks depicting romantic love in its various forms. I'll be adding one artwork a day to the blog until Valentine's Day! "Like", "Tweet", and "Comment" on your favorites. The most liked artwork will be featured in my next video! Click on the images to see a larger version! A few questions to help you read this scene: -Is this before the party or after? -Did they know each other prior to the party or had they just met? -What details do you see about her which suggests that she's interested? Compare her to the coy girl in My Sister Is Not In. (See below!)
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