Symbols of love have been part of human art since our earliest creative expressions. The Venus of Willendorf , created between 30,000 and 24,000 BC, is one of the oldest surviving works of art that scholars associate with fertility and affection. These visual expressions of love have evolved over time while retaining their emotional impact.
Even the ancient world was characterized by a rich symbolism of love. The Sumerians inscribed the oldest love song in the world onto a cuneiform tablet around 2000 BC during a sacred wedding ritual. These timeless symbols create a universal language that transcends cultural and temporal boundaries.
Red roses represent passionate love, while a pair of swans symbolizes fidelity and a lasting partnership. Love-related artistic symbols have evolved into a visual language connected to our deepest emotions.
Prehistoric cultures expressed their earliest artistic representations of love through powerful fertility and reproductive symbols. The Venus of Willendorf , approximately 25,000 years old, is considered one of the earliest depictions of female fertility in human history. This limestone figurine, measuring 11.1 centimeters, features enlarged breasts, a rounded belly, and pronounced hips—characteristics directly associated with motherhood.
Venus of Willendorf. Limestone, 25,000 BC – Gasometer Oberhausen. Exhibition “Magical Places”, 2011. Photo by Ziko van Dijk, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The statuette's face remains hidden by what appears to be braided hair or a headdress. This suggests that the artist focused more on fertility characteristics than on personal identity.
Ancient Mesopotamian civilizations celebrated love through ceremonies. The Love Song on Shu-Sin , written around 2000 BCE, is the oldest known love poem. This remarkable text played a crucial role in the ritual of the "sacred marriage ," in which the king of the Third Dynasty of Ur symbolically wed the goddess Inanna.
The ruler fulfilled his sacred duty during the New Year's celebrations by mating with a priestess representing the goddess of love and procreation. This union promised fertility for the land and prosperity in the coming year. A chosen bride would recite the poem engraved on clay tablets during these elaborate ceremonies.
Greek and Roman cultures produced rich artistic representations of divine love. Eros (later known as Cupid ) first appeared in Greek art as a powerful, disruptive force—a beautiful winged youth on red-figure pottery. His image changed considerably under Roman influence, becoming the familiar, chubby infant we recognize today.
Cupid feeding a dove, sculpture by Julius Middelthun
Aphrodite ( Venus in Roman culture) embodied both sensual love and civic power. The Romans built their first temples in the 200s BC to invoke her aid in battle. The goddess's presence adorned domestic spaces, especially gardens, which aligned with her association with vegetation and fertility. Her beautiful form became a symbol of Roman imperial power throughout the empire.
From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance: Allegory and Devotion
The journey of art from antiquity to the Middle Ages brought about a remarkable change in how artists represented love through symbols. Artists began to express love primarily through religious devotion. The magnificent Gothic cathedrals perfectly exemplified this mystical connection between the human and the spiritual worlds.
Religious love in Gothic and early Christian art
Gothic art created a beautiful blend of mysticism and human emotion, connecting everyday life with divine love. Artists moved away from depicting God as distant, portraying him instead as active throughout all of creation. Majestic cathedrals soared toward the heavens with tall spires and cruciform floor plans. Their exquisite rose windows served as brilliant gateways heaven, depicting the life story of Christ in vibrant colors.
Maternal Love: Madonna and Child with Angels (1674), by Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato
The pelican became a powerful Christian symbol of self-sacrificing love. Medieval tradition held that pelican mothers pierced their own breasts to feed their young with blood—much like the sacrifice of Christ. Dante referenced this symbol in his “Paradiso” (1312) when he wrote of “our pelican, who shed his blood to give eternal life .
Saint Thomas Aquinas Christ as “pie pelicane, Jesu Domine” in his Eucharistic hymn “Adoro te devote” .
Botticelli's Venus and Neoplatonic Ideals
Sandro Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" (1486) beautifully blends classical mythology with Renaissance . This masterpiece captures the essence of Neoplatonism—a movement that sought to fuse classical ideas with Christian beliefs. Neoplatonists viewed Venus in two ways: as an earthly goddess who ignited physical love, and as a celestial goddess who inspired intellectual devotion.
Sandra Botticelli – An Italian painter of the early Renaissance with masterpieces such as "The Birth of Venus" that quickly became the face of Florentine art and were later rediscovered in the late 19th century.
Medici family commissioned this painting for educational purposes. The philosopher Marsilio Ficino wanted the young Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco Medici to find a detailed balance through the influence of Venus. He believed this would help develop an ethic guided by beauty, truth, and goodness. Venus became a symbol of ideal love that transcended physical attraction.
Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini portrait and the symbolism of marriage
Jan van Eyck's "Arnolfini Portrait" (1434) is considered one of the most complex paintings in Western art due to its rich symbolism and groundbreaking technique. This full-length double portrait depicts Giovanni Arnolfini and his wife, surrounded by carefully selected objects representing their marital bond.
The Arnolfini Wedding by the Flemish painter Jan van Eyck
Experts are still debating whether the painting depicts a marriage contract or some other agreement. Many interpret the clasped hands as "fides" —a marriage vow—while others believe they represent a business agreement between an already married couple. The painting contains several meaningful symbols.
A single burning candle symbolizes love or the presence of the Holy Spirit. A small dog symbolizes fidelity (“Fido”), while the green dress suggests hope—possibly for motherhood. Saint Margaret, who protects pregnancy and childbirth, appears to be carved into the bedpost.
Modern and contemporary images of love
Modern artists have reimagined the symbolism of love, moving from idealistic concepts to deeply personal and political expressions. Their creative approaches reveal the complexity of love through distinctive visual languages.
Frida Kahlo's personal symbolism of pain and love
Frida Kahlo's artworks serve as a visual diary, revealing the connection between love and suffering. Her 1939 work "The Two Fridas" depicts a double self-portrait created during her divorce from Diego Rivera. The artwork reveals her emotional state through two connected figures, sharing a thin vein between their hearts.
This powerful portrayal of heartbreak and identity reveals her profound understanding of self-love. Kahlo employed religious imagery—such as crowns of thorns and sacred hearts—to connect her personal suffering with universal stories of resilience. Her meticulous use of color, particularly red, amplifies the emotional impact of her work by depicting intensity, passion, and pain.
Banksy's 'Love Is In The Air' and political romance
Banksy's famous work "Love Is In The Air" (2003) – also "Flower Thrower" – transforms confrontation into an act of love. The artist created this work on the West Bank wall between Israel and Palestine. The image depicts a masked protester ready to throw flowers instead of a weapon. The artist stated that the barrier makes "Palestine the world's largest open-air prison .
It's a large mural, isn't it? Near Bethlehem in the West Bank. Photo by young shanahan from Bratislava, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This powerful contrast evokes the Flower Power movement of the 1960s and sends a universal message: peace should overcome division and conflict. The vibrant, hand-painted flowers stand in sharp contrast to the stenciled, militant figure. This visual tension reinforces the artwork's anti-war message.
Félix González-Torres' Watches and Temporal Love
Félix González-Torres' “Untitled” (Perfect Lovers) (1991) features two similar commercial wall watches that start synchronously but drift apart over time. He created this minimalist installation after his partner's AIDS diagnosis, transforming everyday objects into profound reflections on time and mortality.
Félix González-Torres' artwork “Untitled” (Perfect Lovers) (1987-1990) in Glenstone in 2023
“Time is something that scares me ,” said González-Torres. “This piece I made Watches Watches to touch each other during the exhibition, symbolizing an intimate connection. The Watches can return to perfect synchronicity when their batteries run out—a touching metaphor for the endurance of love beyond physical separation.
How artists use symbolism to express love
Throughout history, artists have used visual language to depict the complexities of love in ways that words cannot capture. Their methods demonstrate the profound connection between symbols and emotional expression.
Common artistic symbols and meanings in love images
Artists across cultures weave universal symbols of love into their works. Apples appear in many traditions as symbols of love and desire. In Greek mythology, they serve as symbols of courtship, and in Chinese culture, they represent worship.
The Claddagh symbol unites three elements that tell a complete story of committed relationships: a crown for loyalty, two hands for friendship, and a heart for love. Doves symbolize fidelity through their lifelong mating habits. Maple leaves represent the sweetness of love, just like its sap.
Color symbolism in romantic artworks
Colors shape our emotional responses to artworks with love themes . Red evokes passion and excitement in romantic pieces and creates natural focal points. Yellow evokes feelings of optimism and warmth. Pink suggests femininity and romantic feelings, while purple adds sophistication and mystery.
Marc Chagall brilliantly used shades of blue to create dreamy qualities in his portraits of lovers, creating a mystical atmosphere.
Metaphors and allegories in visual storytelling
Artists transform everyday objects into profound depictions of love through metaphor. Mirrors reveal self-reflection through the eyes of a lover, and veils capture the mystery between partners. Venus and Cupid stand as timeless symbols of desire and attraction.
Rain, in romantic artworks, sets scenes of renewal and emotional expression. Artists use umbrellas to create intimate spaces that represent protection and connection.
Owner and Managing Director of Kunstplaza . Publicist, editor, and passionate blogger in the fields of art, design, and creativity since 2011. Graduated with a degree in web design from university (2008). Further developed creative techniques through courses in freehand drawing, expressive painting, and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market gained through years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with key players and institutions in the arts and culture sector.
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Globe pendant light with block base, chrome
148,00 €
