Love Poems 1893

Curator: Here we have Henri Fantin-Latour's "Love Poems," an etching completed in 1893. Look closely at the delicate linework and the dreamlike atmosphere he creates. Editor: Dreamlike is right. It’s cloaked in an almost melancholic quiet, isn’t it? The embrace between the couple seems to offer warmth against that heavy darkness. Curator: Yes, the way Fantin-Latour plays with light and shadow definitely sets a mood. For me, the romantic era symbolism really shines here. Observe the figures framed by the dense woods—there’s a real sense of mystery evoked through this forest of the mind. Editor: And there is a vulnerability, too. These figures feel simultaneously protected by and isolated within the wood. Who were these lovers meant to be? Does their intimacy transcend conventional ideas, especially if considered through the lens of late 19th century relationships? Curator: Ah, the text below it reads: “Dans le bois muet et sourds… I’nous causer de nos amours et rêver dans l’ombre." - "In the wood mute and deaf… to speak of our love and dream in shadow." Editor: Very telling. The text is evocative of shared experiences. It is interesting to read love as the shared activity itself and how we create refuge, or sanctuary, as we perform those intimate experiences together. This can speak to how even gender, as another construct of relation, exists as a verb rather than as something immutable or essentially defined. Curator: Right! But how do you perceive its meaning? Are we drawn to our inner selves or bound by social conventions as the couple seeks peace within a natural space. What’s the narrative Fantin-Latour suggests through this use of heavy contrast in the landscape. Editor: Possibly, or even probably both! Even love itself is hardly outside of "social convention," as many activists fight against structures limiting how it is enacted to this day! Curator: This piece feels less a landscape and more an internal space, a psychological haven. Editor: Yes, but one constantly defined by a relational framework with others. This interplay enriches the piece immeasurably, adding levels to explore the romantic subjectivities. Curator: It's definitely given me a renewed appreciation for his attention to emotional nuance captured within a moment. Editor: Agreed, and also his willingness to explore love not as simply romance but a deeper engagement of intersubjectivity.