Paintings Inspired by Love

Love has inspired artists since the days when they drew on cave walls with wooly mammoth blood. Van Gogh even cut off his ear for one lucky lady. How romantic. So, in the spirit of V-Day, (that's V for Valentine's, not Veterans) here's Kidzworld's picks for best mushy paintings. (See if you agree).

Dance at Bougival by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Renoir was a French painter who is associated with the Impressionist movement. Impressionism is a style of painting from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Impressionists tried to accurately paint reality in terms of light and color. This painting is one of three dance-themed paintings created by Renoir in the summer of 1883.

Le Printemps by Pierre Auguste Cot

Apparently Pierre Auguste was a popular name in 19th century France, but that's beside the point. Cot painted in a style known as Beaux Arts Classicism. Beaux Arts Classicism is a type of ornate painting style, inspired by ancient art. It's named after L'ecole de Beaux Arts (the school of fine arts) in Paris, where Cot studied painting. The title of this painting, Le Printemps, is French for The Spring.

Putto's Kiss by Emile Munier

Emile Munier also painted in the Beaux Arts Classic style. Emile Munier became well known for his paintings of children and cherubs. A "putto" is a winged child - like an angel or cherub. How cute is this painting?

Sunset by Norman Rockwell

Norman Rockwell was an American realist. His illustrations were simple and to-the-point, yet they never failed to evoke emotion. His illustrations appeared on the cover of more than 80 magazines and in classic children's books like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Sunset is a perfect example of the country charm that made Rockwell's art truly American.

Venus and Sailor by Salvador Dali

Salvador Dali is famous for his bizarre, fantastical, surrealist paintings. He described his style as "concrete irrationality." Whatever you call it, Dali's paintings are beautiful, but most definitely whacked-out. The Venus and Sailor is actually among Dali's more tame paintings.

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Read more: Art Attack