10 artworks about love

John William Waterhouse was not the only Pre-Raphaelite painter to tackle John Keats's poem. Here is the enthralled knight again, this time by Sir Frank Dicksee.Sometimes love can be obsessive! "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" by John Keats tells the story of a knight who meets a faery and becomes enthralled, unable to let go. As a tribute to the poem, John William Waterhouse painted this picture.Here is Venus from the famous painting Venus & Mars by Botticelli. Venus is contemplating Mars, her lover. Venus is also known as Aphrodite, the Greek/Roman goddess of love.View the list »
The sculpture, Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss by Canova, portrays the end of the famous Greek myth. Cupid (Eros) and Psyche are the heart and soul of love.

Arts & Exhibits newsletter

Great artists throughout history have created works about romantic love: love between Greek gods, Shakespearean characters, husbands and wives. They have depicted scenes of pursuit, courtship, and simple affection. The following list contains a few such famous scenes in painting and sculpture. The artists include Italian masters, Pre-Raphaelite painters, and more modern artists.

Related topics

Advertisement

Enjoy Valentine's Day aesthetically as well as romantically!

View the list
  • The sculpture, Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss by Canova, portrays the end of the famous Greek myth. Cupid (Eros) and Psyche are the heart and soul of love.
  • Here is Venus from the famous painting Venus & Mars by Botticelli. Venus is contemplating Mars, her lover. Venus is also known as Aphrodite, the Greek/Roman goddess of love.
  • Sometimes love can be obsessive! "La Belle Dame Sans Merci" by John Keats tells the story of a knight who meets a faery and becomes enthralled, unable to let go. As a tribute to the poem, John William Waterhouse painted this picture.
  • John William Waterhouse was not the only Pre-Raphaelite painter to tackle John Keats's poem. Here is the enthralled knight again, this time by Sir Frank Dicksee.
  • Sir Frank Dicksee also tackled Shakespeare. Here are the ultimate destined, if ill-fated, lovers Romeo and Juliet. Romeo must leave Juliet even while she pleads with him to stay.
  • Another ill-fated couple, Tristan and Isolde, are depicted here by John William Waterhouse. As Shakespeare would say, "The course of true love never did run smooth."
  • The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck is a famous Early Netherlandish painting. It portrays a husband and wife plus many symbols connected to the marriage state.
  • Thomas Gainsborough, a British painter, enjoyed painting married couples from Mr. and Mrs. Andrews to Mr. and Mrs. Carter. Here, Mr. and Mrs. Hallett are taking a morning walk.
  • Is this couple as content as the previous couple? Perhaps. To each his own! In any case, Grant Wood created an iconic portrait that has been parodied over and over again.
  • Gustav Klimt gave us The Kiss. Klimt was not the first artist to provide images of a kiss. The sculptor Rodin created a famous sculpture with the same subject.
View the list

, Arts & Exhibits Examiner

Katherine Woodbury enjoys mysteries, romances, and children's classics. Her published stories appear in science-fiction and fantasy magazines, including Tales of the Unanticipated, Andromeda Spaceways, Space & Time, and Leading Edge. In keeping with her love for genre fiction and the otherworldly...

Advertisement

Today's top buzz...