Valentine: Map of the Kingdom of Love (Das Reich der Liebe) 1777

Curator: Breitkopf & Härtel created this whimsical map titled “Valentine: Map of the Kingdom of Love,” dating back to 1777. It’s currently held here at the Met. I find the blend of geographical accuracy and allegorical fantasy absolutely fascinating. Editor: It's strangely comforting, in a fairy-tale sort of way. The scale is so miniature, it feels like gazing into my own inner landscape, you know, with its perilous forests and questionable landmarks. Curator: Exactly! Think about what "The Kingdom of Love" signified in the late 18th century. This wasn't just about romantic love, but a reflection of social and political aspirations viewed through the lens of Romanticism, mapping desire itself. Editor: Desire as cartography, I love that. You have the “Land of Youth” flowing into the “Land of Rest", a nice visual metaphor for the stages of a relationship. The “Land of Sorrowing Love" looks particularly bleak, with its "Sea of Despair." I wonder who got lost there? Curator: And the “Area of Fixed Ideas" feels like a pointed commentary on the constraints of reason, maybe a nod to emerging feminist critiques of the period, where fixed ideas restricted women’s intellectual freedom within social expectations around marriage. Editor: Possibly. It makes me wonder if the mountains represent obstacles, or perhaps, opportunities for scaling emotional heights. Look how "Lust" seems strategically placed so close to "Happy Love," a volatile combination, right? Curator: Indeed, the proximity is hardly accidental! By combining cityscapes with allegorical geography, this map underscores how external and internal forces intersect, shaping not just individual destinies but societal norms. Editor: It is all about choices though, isn’t it? Whether we choose the "Path of Tenderness" or risk wandering into the "Fixed Ideas." I think I'll pack extra provisions and a good sense of humour wherever I wander. Curator: A necessary precaution in any exploration of love’s terrain. Thinking about how societal expectations shape personal desire makes this piece endlessly relevant, don't you think? Editor: Absolutely. I can certainly see a whole new world mapped in my own relationships; thanks for guiding us through it.