Valentine 1876

This chromolithograph, entitled Valentine, was created by Walter Crane and now resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The symmetry and formal arrangement of the picture plane immediately suggests a structured narrative. The foreground and background are clearly delineated, creating a stage for the unfolding drama. Note how the male figure, adorned in a patchwork of floral motifs, stands in stark contrast to the subdued, contemplative female figure framed by the window. The composition directs our eye from the active, vibrant male to the passive, ethereal female. The vertical lines of the garden foliage and the brick wall act as a counterpoint to the curvilinear forms of the figures, adding tension to the otherwise harmonious scene. This interplay of line and form highlights the dichotomies between action and contemplation, masculine and feminine, public and private. It is within these structured oppositions that Crane invites us to reflect on the complexities of love and desire.