Love Through the Eyes of an Artist
Love is a supplication, a paradox, an enigma, it has troubled and treated humanity since perhaps even before the inception of language. It has ignited wars, inspired architecture, and great works of art. It may very well be the greatest inspiration.
Love may very well be the greatest inspiration
A monumental moment in the history of photojournalism happened in 1950 when French photographer Robert Doisneau captured Le Baiser de l’Hôtel de Ville (The Kiss by the Hôtel de Ville) on his Rolleiflex camera. Paris was just freed from World War II, with a budding rejuvenation of the populace. The slowly normalising life had its enchantment in the monotony it offered, and yet through all the afflictions of the war, love survived.
Doisneau encapsulated the expression of love in a composed imitation of what love is. Composed shots involve acting. In the 80s a controversy ensued when Jean and Denise Lavergne (Lavern) sued Robert, claiming to be the couple; eventually, he disclosed that the models were hired but it was not the Lavergnes.
This beautiful composition uses positive and negative space quite marvellously capturing abstract motion in the background and a symbolic expression in the foreground. The idea of a kiss in Paris was immortalised just like that. The work evolved from being a journalistic record of post-war Paris when in the 80s it began to be disseminated in the form of print copies.
The idea of a kiss in Paris was immortalised just like that
Françoise Delbart also sued Robert in 1992 and this time around he divulged the names, Ms. Bornet and Jacques Carteaud. The struggling actors were involved, and he hired them after seeing them kiss; they shot at three different locations. In an interview, Bornet said, “The photo was posed, But the kiss was real.”
“The photo was posed, but the kiss was real”
Kissing is one of the expressions of love that transcends words and gestures, and perhaps with this ethereal photograph, time as well. With romanticism of the life in Paris captured in motion, the expression of love is frozen in time, even within the composition.
The picture is utterly romantic as it depicts how everything fades away when you are in love. And how oblivious love is to the monotony of daily life. There is a mystery about the picture of how love can be elusively thrilling and peacefully chaotic.
The picture is utterly romantic as it depicts how everything fades away when you are in love
Two lovers, like two actors, transform into two exhibitionists, unafraid to show the world what they feel, and perhaps translate how love, like fear, can be a big motivator for humans to let go of all there is, even logic, values, and rationality. For a person in love, love comes first, everything else comes second, and this picture is an example of how glorious love can be despite all adversities.
Two lovers, like two actors, transform into two exhibitionists, unafraid to show the world what they feel
Expression is necessary for a lover, like performing is essential for an artist’s soul. A lover does not only find solace in their lover’s arms, but also in their realisation of how this one four-letter word transforms everything around them, and everything within them.
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