Maybe not by chance – before the official arrival of spring, time opens up before people with celebrations that honor the purest feeling: love. Because the unstoppable force of love is probably what has the power to restore our hope in the midst of the coldest winter months, just enough for us to soon welcome the sun’s warmer rays. But first, the sun must rise within us – and through love, we can achieve this. 

As expected, most works of art throughout history have been motivated by the human love for another being. This is why myths so often explore the theme of love in creative ways, involving archetypes and symbols meant to develop our imagination, stir our senses, and make us understand that "(...) what is done in love is well done," as Vincent van Gogh once said. Of course, there are also numerous examples of complicated love stories, from Romeo and Juliet, to Amor and Psyche or Mars and Venus, all of which have been represented by renowned artists such as Frank Dicksee, Bouguereau, Botticelli, Canova, and many others. 

Naturally, contemporary art has not ceased to explore this theme, as it is inherently human and, perhaps, the purest form of honesty and connection between two people. Carmen Marin revisits the theme of human closeness in her work The Butterflies, the title evoking the fluttering emotions inside us, similar to swarms of butterflies moving quickly yet delicately. The composition is marked by a combination of rapid brushstrokes and fine details, with a predominantly cool color palette, punctuated only by the red butterflies circling the couple. Daniela Grapă also maintains a cool-toned palette, with an embrace that carries a strong emotional charge. Both paintings speak of closeness, of embrace, and of the significance of a seemingly simple yet profoundly complex gesture in human relationships.

Finally, the kiss is perhaps the ultimate illustration of love, serving both as a symbol of fulfilled passion and one of separation or betrayal. In a positive light, the kiss holds a central place in numerous famous paintings, from Klimt’s The Kiss to Rodin’s sculpted version or Francesco Hayez’s romantic depiction. For Romanians, Brâncuși also created a work on the same theme, beautifully illustrating that through a kiss, two people momentarily become a singular entity, where communication happens through sensation and emotion rather than language. 

Ph.D. Researcher Andrei FĂȘIE