Liefdespaar 1749

Simon Fokke created this print called ‘Liefdespaar’ in 1749 using etching. As an etcher, Fokke was working in a Netherlands that was increasingly defined by its mercantile power. The scene shows a couple in classical garb, surrounded by a landscape reminiscent of an idealized Arcadia. Yet, this seemingly innocent scene is framed with overt symbolism. Two cherubs, a temple, and the figures in the clouds draw out the deeper themes of love. It makes me think of the ways that the romantic ideals often portray love as virtuous, divine and eternal, while often masking the mundane inequalities of gender and power that affect everyday life. The overt idealization serves as a reminder of the complicated politics embedded in representations of gender roles. What does it mean when our visual culture is so intertwined with an idealized or mythical vision of love?