A celebration of heart motifs, a display of garments worn by John Singer Sargent’s sitters at Tate Britain, and more…
EDITED BY RACHEL NOTT & CAROLINE WHEATER
FEBRUARY
THE ANTIQUEHearts
In February, the spice of romance peppers the air, from the little garden birds that are said to pair up from the 14th of the month, to the lovers and life partners who celebrate together over a good dinner. On Valentine’s Day, love hearts are to the fore, and have been part of our cultural and emotional language from the 1300s, at least. A heart as a gift was first depicted in an illustration that appeared in The Romance of Alexander by Jehan de Grise, written between 1338 and 1344. In the ‘Heart Offering’, as the illustration is known, a woman quite literally gives her heart to a man. From this point on, hearts occur in many different guises: on sword handles, coats of arms, illuminated manuscripts, carved into wooden chests and sewn into embroideries. Come the 18th century and decorative hearts can be found on wooden ‘love’ spoons, on trinket boxes, in jewellery, within porcelain and in furniture – a tradition embraced again by the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th century, whose makers included heart motifs in furniture, fabrics, silverware and pewter to symbolise purity and simplicity. Hearts are often associated with jewellery alone, but stay observant and you’ll find them in many different antiques and forms. Hearts are as loved and as meaningful now as they were 600 years ago, in medieval times.
THE EXHIBITIONSWhat is Truth?
17th February – 13th October Sainsbury Centre, Norwich
A series of fascinating, interlinked exhibitions will address life’s ‘Big Questions’
