Love?

Prominent themes in art always have been and still remain the characteristic themes of humanity. One of them is love – in partnerships, in marriages, in friendships, in families. At first glance, what manifests here is a somewhat ambiguous love triangle: who belongs to whom? And is that what really matters? Is it not much more about the figures’ postures and gazes telling of a palpable sense of (self-)assurance which at the same time can be understood as the result of shared love? The work’s symbolism carries this impression forward: the sturdy oak tree with its sprawling foliage implies further effects of strong affection: strength, protection and security. These are the very essences of human coexistence that art has negotiated all along – independent of genres, epochs and matters of taste. It is also on these grounds that it enables us to discover topicality in things from the past.

Jasper Warzecha (research assistant)