Love accompanies us every day of our lives. Even if we're single, the affection we feel for our family and friends envelops us. This has been the case since the beginning of time, and various sculptors have been tasked with portraying their idea of love since time immemorial. With Valentine's Day approaching, we'd love to take you on a tour of the most romantic sculptures around the world. Are you up for it? Then come aboard!
Romantic sculptures for Valentine's Day
Romeo and Juliet
American artist Milton Hebald sculpted this sculpture, which we can currently find strolling through Central Park (New York). It's made of bronze and was created in workshops in Rome in 1977. As you might guess from its name, it represents the protagonists of Shakespeare's tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. Have you had the chance to visit the Big Apple to see this true marvel?
The Kiss
The French artist, Auguste Rodin made this well-known sculpture in the 19th century, more specifically in the year 1881. There is a curious story behind this work of art and that is that his initial idea was to represent the well-known scene of The Divine Comedy in which Paolo and Francesca are murdered by her husband when he discovers them kissing. However, as he sculpted and shaped his work, he realized that the silhouettes he was modeling conveyed a certain sensuality. Precisely for this reason, he decided to move away from the initial idea and turn it into a standalone work. Did you know that? It's very interesting!
The secret bank of knowledge
This sculpture, created in 1993 by Canadian artist Lea Vivot and located on Wellington Street in Ottawa, across from Library and Archives Canada, is composed of two children sitting on a bench. The most significant aspect of this work? On the bench, you can see more than 100 handwritten messages from both writers and ordinary people, all of which speak about the importance of reading. Indeed, it's a work that extols the joys of reading and love in youth. How sweet, isn't it?
Psyche revived by the kiss of love
This is perhaps one of the most famous neoclassical sculptures, and precisely for that reason, we've chosen it to headline this post. Antonio Cánova was inspired by the character of Cupid, the Roman god of love, and Psyche, a human turned goddess, to create this authentic work of art. With this idea in mind, he sculpted this sculpture in 1793, depicting Psyche, finally awakening after a long punishment, thanks to the kiss of her husband Cupid. In it, the artist displays complex feelings and emotions and also captures excellent details in every angle of the figures.
Enjoy love surrounded by art
Do you know of any other sculpture that represents love as profoundly as these? It's incredible how different authors throughout history have drawn inspiration from different characters and themes to represent love. While some were inspired by literary figures, others by deities and even by the love of a hobby. Curious, isn't it?
In reality, the same thing would happen to us if we delved into what inspires artists to address any subject. We live in a complex world where the same feeling can be expressed in a thousand different ways and where, furthermore, the same situation can take us to very different places. Perhaps that's why art enriches our souls so much.
Tell us if you've seen any of these sculptures and which ones you're dying to see? We'll make a note to talk about them all! Happy Valentine's Day!
