Me and my lover – double portraits throughout centuries

Aleksandra Koper, 27 April 2018

Love – what shall I say in this matter, not to be accused for banality? Let’s try to speak about it using the language of art; it’’ll be far more interesting and endurable for the reader.

Portraits of two lovers have a long history, which starts in antiquity. In magnificent city of Pompei, art emphasized a physical aspect of affection between two people (not only men and women, of course), presenting their mutual sexual obsession and desire. Erotic scenes were placed on dirty walls in brothels and taverns of rather questionable reputation to excite sensation-seeking clients.

 

If You think, that medieval era changed that lustful image of love, you’re totally wrong. Just look at the manuscripts presenting eventful fate of Queen Guinevere and sir Lancelot, whose relationship –  let us not kid ourselves  – wasn’t platonic. Bed scenes were depicted in extremely popular love stories like Roman de la Rose or Tristan and Iseult; but the vast majority of the double portraits shows two people submerged in tender cuddles.

Apart from the mythological pairs, renaissance art introduces bizarre and not always truthful expressions of love. Lucas Cranach, in moralistic and waspish manner, depicted old man fooled by young, sneaky lady; in baroque era, over 100 years later, a dutch painter Pieter Pietersz created country scene showing clearly bored maid, who is groping by a confident lad. What would #metoo supporters think about this? Is it a sexual assault or just an innocent play?

19 c. artistic Bohemia had a lot to say in a field of free love; the age of decadence moved towards margins of society, cabaret artists, freaks, criminal elements. Intimate relationships of low-lifes were registered by probably the smaller painter in the world, Henri Toulouse Lautrec (4 1/2 feet). Two lesbians seem to spend whole day in bed, not even embarrassed with the fact of being observed by the artist. The same “love isolation” from the rest of the world can be seen in works of expressionist Egon Schiele and Rene Magritte, who seemed to be merciless towards those, who are blind in their deep affection. 

But let’s remember, what Mr. Shakespeare once said:

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”