Christine and Rose 1947

Valentine Hugo's drawing presents a poignant scene of two figures in mourning, their sorrow amplified by the looming visage in the background. The figures, Christine and Rose, are locked in an embrace, their faces etched with grief, while above them floats a disembodied face. The veiled figure embodies a timeless image of mourning, akin to figures in Renaissance depictions of the Lamentation. This motif finds echoes across centuries and cultures, appearing in funerary art from ancient Rome to Victorian mourning portraits. Here, the veil conceals and yet reveals, symbolizing both concealment and the public display of grief. Like the weeping Magdalen, who has appeared throughout the history of painting, these figures embody the pain of loss. The floating face adds another layer of psychological complexity. Is it a memory, a ghost, or a manifestation of shared trauma? The symbol embodies the non-linear, cyclical progression of grief, and how it resurfaces and evolves over time, taking on new meanings in different contexts.