World's Most Romantic Painting

[Elentári]

The Art Fund is running a Valentine's Day poll to name the world's most romantic painting...

http://www.artfund.org/romantic

The 5 that have made the shortlist have been chosen by a panel comprising Matthew Collings, Andrew Graham-Dixon, Grayson Perry, Marina Warner and Kirsty Young. All of the works of art chosen are from public collections in the UK.

1. "Nevermore" by Gaugin 1897

2. Titian, "Bacchus and Ariadne" 1520-3

3. Jan van Eyck, "The Arnolfini Portrait" 1434

4. Nicolas Poussin, "Rinaldo and Armida" 1629

5. Samuel John Peploe, "Roses" 1920


I'm not particularly inspired by any of those...if I had to choose from the list it would probably be the Poussin, but I think I shall go away and find my own choice and post it later.

I'm sure you all have better choices as well - let's see them!

[Elentári]

My choice...well, this was more difficult that it seemed. I plumped for the Pre-Raphaelites since I’ve always adored their works...plenty of choice there since “Romance” was their middle name…but so much of it their works focuses on the tragic side of love, the haunting and sorrowful images of medieval damsels in distress…or lovers parting. I love the painting by Hughes “April Love” but that depicts the end of a relationship so that hardly qualifies as most romantic painting...

Another possibility is “The End of the Quest” by Sir Frank Dicksee



You can't help but wonder the story behind the scene. Is this a suitor who was first turned away, then accepted? Or, is this an ex-heart-breaker, a man who first failed to realize what treasure is waiting of him in this lady? Or, is this a man returning from a foreign war or state assignment, eager to run to his beloved who had been holding his heart throughout his ordeal? The man is undoubtedly asking “Will you be mine?” but is he also asking for forgiveness?


I am very tempted to choose "Love Among the Ruins" by Edward Burne-Jones



As usual with the P-Rs there is a sad story behind the painting: Burne-Jones painted this after he parted from his lover, Maria Zambuco, who was the model for the original painting, a gouache, that was ruined when it was exhibited in Paris in 1893. It was restored by Burne-Jones, after he had already made the oil painting, above.

It is said that the extreme touch of tenderness that had been in the original picture was not reached in the second picture -- Percy Bate, a biographer of Burne-Jones lamented in 1905 "alas! no longer existing in the first and finer version". Nevertheless, it is rightly considered one of Burne-Jones's most impressive and beautiful works.

"In 1873 the artist made a brief reappearance in public at the Dudley Gallery with two pictures, both finished that year and both begun in 1870. The first, Love among the Ruins, was one of the most impressive of the painter's works, with its vague hint of an untold tragedy which haunts the memory and refused to be banished. Among the ruins of crumbled masonry and fallen columns overgrown with flowers and the entwined arches of rose-starred briars--the beauty that Nature spreads abroad to blot out the havoc wrought by man--sat the two lovers. She dressed in rich blue, with both arms round his neck, clung to him for comfort, though she turned away her face, looking out into space with heavy eyes that saw too plainly still the unspeakable horrors of the past. He attired in sad-coloured raiment with one arm shelteringly encircling her, and the other hand grasping one of hers, looked down upon her with a face full of pity, yet not without a confidence in love's power to bring forgetfulness. Behind them frowned the black shadows of archways and a stormy sky on the one hand, and on the other a desolate courtyard with a barred window, and a great doorway crowned with a broad architrave carved with cupids at play, and supported by ornamental pilasters, while through the open portal a glimpse of silent sunlit street was seen.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/artmagick ... 3775550331

But ultimately, I 'm going to plump for J W Waterhouse’s “Tristan and Isolde sharing the potion”



The simple basis of the legend is this: a brave young English knight, Tristan, falls in love with a beautiful Irish princess, Isolde and they share a love potion that binds them forever. The twist in the romance comes from Isolde's betrothal and marriage to King Mark of Cornwall - Tristan's uncle - and the obstacles that arise from their forbidden, and doomed, love.

[Frelga]

Never mind, I'll get back to you.

[yovargas]

The Art Fund is running a Valentine's Day poll to name the world's most romantic painting...

Those suck.
Here's what came to mind for me:

Hayez Francisco - The Kiss

[Elentári]

Thanks, Yov.

I remember seeing that picture when I was trying to choose mine...it's certainly a passionate picture! I wonder why the artist didn't want to show the guy's face?

[Primula Baggins]

I prefer all four that have been posted here to any of the five at the link. They're wonderful paintings, at the link, but they don't tell their stories as vividly as the ones here. That's what I love about paintings like these: I see each one, and my mind builds a story extending into the past and future. I see, or can imagine, the emotion of the people in them, and I start imagining the rest of their characters as well.

Maybe it's a writer thing, to enjoy this so much, but I suspect it's just a human thing.

Perhaps paintings that don't instantly suggest stories can be more sophisticated, "better" by standards I don't know—this isn't my art.

I just know I like these images. Looking at them makes me happy.

[Lalaith]

What?! Seriously? Those are their choices?

I like all of your choices here much better.

I'm a big fan of the P-R's, too, Elen (as should be obvious). I do really like yovi's choice, though.


This one is sweet:

http://www.allpaintings.org/v/Pre-Rapha ... y.jpg.html

And this one:

http://www.allpaintings.org/v/Pre-Rapha ... a.jpg.html

And the passion in this one is beautiful:

http://www.allpaintings.org/v/Pre-Rapha ... t.jpg.html

I've always been very fond of this one, though:



Of course, I like to imagine that he came back safe and sound.

[Elentári]

Aha, another Dicksee fan! They're all beautiful, Lali, you can see why I had a hard time choosing

I love the look on the young man's face in "Harmony" as he gazes at his sweetheart. And the way Paolo hold's Francesca's hand to his lips...and of course, R&J, the ultimate tragic love story.

I think Prim is right, if you know the story the pictures are telling that helps make the picture romantic.

[Lalaith]

Yes, the choices are difficult!




This would be quite romantic, in a tragic sort of way.

[sauronsfinger]

Tough task. The ones that come to me without doing a lot of research would be

Maxfield Parrish DAYBREAK
Maxfield Parrish DREAMING // OCTOBER
Norman Rockwell June 11 MARRIAGE LICENSE
William Shakespeare Burton THE WOUNDED CAVALIER
Edward Burne-Jones THE BEGUILING OF MERLIN
John Collier IN THE VENUSBURG
John William Waterhouse HYLAS AND THE NYMPHS
Waterhouse - THE LADY OF SHALLOT
Joseph Noel Payton THE BLUIDIE TRYST

the one Yovargas picked THE KISS is pretty good also

I guess if I had to pick one to own and value meant nothing it would be DAYBREAK by Parrish.

[WampusCat]

Looking closer to home (Hall of Fire home, that is), I vote for the painting Breogán did for truehobbit that is in her posts. It always makes me feel wrapped in love.

[Elentári]

SF, you have some interesting choices...some, like the Waterhouse, the Collier and Burne-Jones I would say depict more of a fatal attraction sensuality rather than "romance", but maybe that's what guys find romantic...

I find the Paton more obviously romantic, and the Burton is charming, but again romantic in a difference sense to Feb 14th.

I share your love of Parrish's gorgeous landscapes.. But I'm surprised you didn't pick the Rockwell as your one to own... since it has a special significance to you and Mrs SF (or maybe you already do? )

[solicitr]

Cellini's Perseus?

<ducks>

[Elentári]

Aw, c'mon Soli, play fair...that's not a painting so it doesn't count anyways

[sauronsfinger]

Elen - a very nice framed print of Rockwell's June 11 sits not six feet from this very computer. I can settle for that.

By the way, DAYBREAK by Parrish sold just three years ago for $7.6 million dollars. Not too shabby for a guy who illustrated calendars.

I would say that romance and sensuality make a very nice combination not unlike peanut butter and jelly.

[Elentári]

SF, now that is truly romantic...and I guess you have no excuse for forgetting the special date, then...

And I certainly agree about the PB & J, sensuality is an essential part of romance, but I fail to see how you find a painting of poor Hylas being lured to his death by a group of wanton nymphs romantic? Even if he does die with a smile on his face... erotic, yes but not romantic in my book!

[solicitr]

How about Millais' Black Brunswicker?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... wicker.jpg

[Lalaith]

Oooh, I like that! Something about the way the man is standing is very sexy.

I still think I like yovi's suggestion the best, though.

[solicitr]

Or Klimt:

Link




Edited by Prim to fix URL that was stretching the page.

[yovargas]

How about Millais' Black Brunswicker?

I was gonna post that.

Nin had this as her sig for a while and I dunno why I love it so much but I absolutely do. It'd be my vote for favorite romantic painting: