Love as a Medium — How Artists Have Interpreted Love Through Time?
- Rebecca Lethbridge
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Most people often associate February as the month of love and romance due to Valentine’s Day being on the 14th, so let’s explore how artists have conveyed the theme of love in their work.
Personally, like many others, I think that love is and has always been one of the most common themes in art. Love is commonly referred to as ‘an intense feeling of fondness, warmth or deep affection’ or ‘a great liking or interest in something’.
Many artists find themselves incorporating the theme of love in their work over and over again, because love is emotional, deeply personal and sometimes unpredictable. Love can often create psychological and emotional reactions for others, for example feelings of excitement, comfort, pain or confusion. Throughout history and contemporary art, the theme of love is popular, with artists using love not just as a subject but as a way of exploring and expressing identity, self-understanding, loss, and obsession. Artists often portray what love really feels like, rather than sticking to the narrative of love being ‘perfect’.
Love in the 19th century: romance, desire, and tragedy:
In the 19th century, love was often shown through religion, mythology, or idealised romance. Many artists would paint work of gods, lovers, and tragedy, which may have been linked to exploring desire and devotion.
An example of this is artist Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes. Francisco José was a 18th and early 19th century Spanish romantic painter and printmaker, who is considered to be one of the most important Spanish artists of that time[i]. Francisco Goya often portrayed relationships filled with tension and darkness rather than happiness, with his work often suggesting that love can be unsettling and even frightening with his paintings of war and tragedy and loosing loved ones.
Another artist is Eugène Delacroix who is considered to be one of the great Romantic painters[ii]. It can be suggested that Delacroix painted love as passion and chaos, emphasising emotional extremes, and during this period love was no longer calm or controlled, instead it was overwhelming and uncontrollable.
These artists show that even centuries ago love was not just gentle or happy, it was also linked to tragedy.
Breaking the illusion of perfect love:
As art moved into the late 19th and early 20th century, it can be said that some artists became more interested in psychology and inner emotions, suggesting that love was not just about couples but also something that is personal and occasionally uncomfortable.
One artist who demonstrates this is Edvard Munch. Munch was a Norwegian expressionist painter, who is best known for his work titled ‘The Scream’ which has become a highly recognisable image in the art world[iii]. Despite the fact Munch never married, the theme of love can be seen in many of his works, including his work titled ‘The Kiss’ which shows his conflicted feelings about love. The two figures blend together, especially at their faces, suggesting both unity and a loss of individuality, which art historian Reinhold Heller links to the idea of death. Munch created four woodcut versions of ‘The Kiss’ between 1897 and 1902, changing the background slightly in each one[iv].
Furthermore, love is also demonstrated in Gustav Klimt’s work titled ‘The Kiss’. This painting is often seen as being romantic, but the painting is more complicated than it looks. The figures are locked together tightly, surrounded by gold and patterns that could be seen as trapping them. In this work it can be said that love feels powerful but also overwhelming.
Love as pain, identity, and self-reflection:
This section focuses on artist Frida Kahlo whose work changed how love could be represented – especially from a woman’s perspective. Kahlo painted love as something deeply tied to pain, identity, and the body. Her relationship with Diego Rivera often influenced her and can be seen in a vast number of her works, but her paintings also focus on betrayal, emotional dependence, and self-awareness. Romantic love shaped Frida’s personal life and strongly influenced her art. She first met Diego Rivera as her teacher, and their admiration grew into love. Although art brought them together, Kahlo eventually developed her own distinctive style, moving beyond Rivera’s influence[v]. Kahlo demonstrated that love doesn’t exist separately from who we are, love shapes us, hurts us, and becomes part of our identity. This idea continues to influence contemporary artists.
Modern and contemporary artists: love without filters:
In contemporary art, love is rarely idealised. Artists focus on vulnerability, honesty and real-life experiences.
One modern artist is Tracey Emin who uses her own personal history to explore love, sex, loneliness, and heartbreak. Her work feels like reading someone’s diary – raw and emotional. Emin does not try to make love look beautiful, she shows how it can leave people exposed and hurt. Her work often ‘poses profound questions on love, trauma, and autobiography’[vi]. She uses neon lights in her artworks since the 1990s. They take the form of written love confessions hung on walls for all to see.
In addition to this, artist Nan Goldin captures love through photography, documenting intimate moments between lovers, friends, and chosen families. Her images show affection alongside addiction, arguments, and grief. Love in her work feels real, imperfect and deeply human[vii].
Another artist who explores the theme of love is Sophie Calle who turns love into a concept. She is a French writer, photographer, installation artist and conceptual artist, and the daughter of contemporary art collector Robert Calle[viii]. She uses letters, rules, and personal experiences to explore relationships and breakups. In one project, Calle asked strangers to analyse a breakup email she received. By sharing private pain publicly, she shows how love connects people through shared experiences.
Current Artists and Love Today:
Now-a-days many younger and contemporary artists explore love in relation to identity, visibility, and social media. Digital and social-media-aware artists also explore love as something performed online. Relationships are documented, shared, and sometimes exaggerated for public view. Contemporary art reflects this shift by questioning how authentic love can be when it is constantly visible.
One artist is Wolfgang Tillmans who is a German photographer and was the first photographer and the first non-British person to win the Turner Prize[ix]. His work suggests that love is fragile and found in ordinary life.
Furthermore, Zanele Muholi is a well acclaimed South African photographer, whose work has been exhibited around the world. Muholi focuses on love in many of her work, exploring different love communities and often celebrates connection in her work.
I also explore the theme of love in my work sometimes. This piece considers colour psychology, looking at relationships between architecture, colour and effect on emotional states and well-being, and delving into how colours attached to certain memories, emotions, or experiences can enhance the personal significance of buildings. In this work pink links to love and romance, as do the roses.
Self-Love and the Body in Contemporary Art:
Self-love has become a major theme for some artists, with some artists focusing on self-portraiture and the body to explore confidence, insecurity, and acceptance. This shows how a growing number of people are now comparing themselves to others more online and trying to fit the ‘perfect’ image. Art can be a key way in which artists represent themselves through their own work, allowing them to tell their own stories, suggesting that love is used internally rather than romantically. This type of work can help many people who are navigating identity and relationships in a digital world.
Why Love Never Leaves Art:
Throughout time love has been a key theme for many artists because love is constantly changing with culture, time, and personal experience. Individuals use love to connect with others, to heal and to feel appreciated. Love allows artists to explore emotions without needing clear answers and allows artists to show what they think love feels like.
From 19th-century paintings of tragedy to contemporary explorations of identity and self-worth, love continues to shape art across time.
References:
[i] Wikipedia contributors. (2026, January 13). Francisco Goya. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Goya
[ii] Romanticism, topicality, sensuality. . .. (n.d.). Le Louvre. https://www.louvre.fr/en/explore/visitor-trails/the-louvre-s-masterpieces/romanticism-topicality-sensuality
[iii] Edvard Munch. (n.d.). Edvard Munch. https://www.edvardmunch.org/
[iv] The Kiss, 1897 by Edvard Munch. (n.d.). Edvard Munch. https://www.edvardmunch.org/the-kiss.jsp
[v] Iriera. (2025, July 22). Frida Kahlo: a matter of love, commitment, and identity - Artika Books. ARTIKA BOOKS. https://artikabooks.com/en/frida-kahlo-a-matter-of-love-commitment-and-identity/
[vi] Tate. (n.d.). Tracey Emin | Tate Modern. https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/tracey-emin
[vii] Nan Goldin. (n.d.). MoMa. Retrieved January 15, 2026, from https://www.moma.org/artists/7532-nan-goldin
[viii] Wikipedia contributors. (2025, November 18). Sophie Calle. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Calle
[ix] Tate. (n.d.-b). Wolfgang Tillmans born 1968 | Tate. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/wolfgang-tillmans-2747
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