Passion 1892

Frank Dicksee painted "Passion" using oil on canvas. Here we see a woman adorned in red robes. Red, the colour of blood and fire, has always symbolized strong emotions, ranging from love and passion to anger and war. Note how the artist drapes her in it, signalling intensity, and the almost frenzied energy the woman is experiencing. A similar effect can be found in Titian's "Bacchus and Ariadne," where the god Bacchus, consumed by love, appears in a cloak of vibrant red. Even the leopard print on which she reclines evokes ancient associations with Dionysus, the god of ecstasy. Over time, this association shifted. In the Renaissance, the leopard became a symbol of lust, appearing in allegorical depictions of the sin. The lilies in the background symbolize purity. Perhaps there is tension between these symbols in the painting, reflecting the complexities of desire. These symbols tap into our collective unconscious, and are recurring motifs that echo through time.