An Allegory of Love @ National Gallery

A fruitful afternoon visiting National Gallery today. Now that I have more time for hobbies, plus that I live 10 minutes' walking distance away from it, I plan to visit it more often. Today I focused on a few paintings and would like to share my thought on the painting called An Allegory of Love here. (NB: For Chinese readers who find some of the vocabulary a bit challenging, please click the hyperlink of the words or phrases).

 

An Allegory of Love

brief painting description

 An Allegory of Love, an extremely daring painting at that time (1527-39). It's probably controversial to paint a naked body itself already, not to mention adding details of touching nipples.

In the painting description, it says one couple looking deep into each other's eyes, however, from the painting, it seems that both couples do. The subtle difference is that the expression in the eyes of carnal love couple seems more playful and seductive, while the meditative love couple's seems more sentimental and spiritual.

Close-up of Carnal Love

Close-up of more meditative love

Cupid

Cupid, originally meaning "desire", is now taken as the God of erotic love and attraction. In the description it says "identified by his bow and wings, watches over two pairs of lovers". From his eyes and the gesture of avoiding looking at the lovers, it seems that he is a bit shy, and possibly bored and annoyed, lol. He's probably thinking: you guys are having fun, what am I doing here? Regarding his appearance, I understand the blonde curly hair is usually associated with physical beauty, but I wonder why his legs are so chubby, lol.

As for the animals on the tree in the background of the painting, the lizard and the goat, their symbolic meaning varies according to different sources. Mostly lizard is associated with good luck and clairvoyance, and the goat with fertility, vitality and ceaseless energy. These symbols imply fortune, reproduction and the circle of life. The painting is probably expressing the the contrast of the two different types of love at the front stage, while at the back stage it is probably saying that both types are needed for the continuity of life, or the outcome-oriented view, which reminds me of Deng Xiao Ping's famous saying: black or white, as long as it catches mice.  If you catch a mouse, then you are  a good cat; If you contribute to the continuity of life, then your love is good love. Shall I say: carnal or meditative, as long as it's conducive?

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Learn English in context with Global Traveler

1. Allegory 
2. daring
3. controversial
4. nipples 
5. carnal
6. playful
7. seductive
8. meditative
9. sentimental
10. spiritual
11. Cupid
12. erotic
13. identified by  
14. gesture 
15. avoiding
16. shy
17. bored
18. annoyed 
19. associated with 
20. chubby
21. clairvoyance
22. fertility 
23. vitality 
24. ceaseless
25. conducive  
26. looking deep into each other's eyes: 深情凝望

Vocabulary illustrated with pictures 看图学词

Bow and Arrow

Wings

 

Blonde curly hair

Mice

Goat

Lizard