With February on the horizon and Valentine’s Day just around the corner, we’re celebrating the love and creativity of the artists in our collection.
A piece from Modern Originals is the perfect way to delight someone special this Valentine’s Day. Explore our curated catalogue to find the artwork that truly speaks to the one you love.
Louise Bourgeois and Robert Goldwater
Louise Bourgeois’ love life was deeply intertwined with her art. She married art historian Robert Goldwater in 1938, and though their relationship was marked by both love and tension, it profoundly influenced her work. Bourgeois often explored themes of betrayal, desire, and identity, rooted in her complex emotions toward her father and her marriage. Despite their struggles, they remained together until Goldwater’s death in 1973, his support shaping much of her artistic journey.
Georges Braque and Marcelle Lapré
Pablo Picasso introduced Georges Braque to the beautiful model, Marcelle Lapré. They soon fell for each other and married in 1912. They lived together in the small town of Sorgues in South Eastern France and were together for the rest of their lives.
Alexander Calder and Louisa James
In June 1929, while sailing from Paris to New York, Alexander Calder crossed paths with Louisa James, his future wife. Louisa, the great-niece of author Henry James and philosopher William James, shared an instant connection with Calder during their voyage. They spent their days playing deck tennis and watching flying fish leap from the bow, quickly developing a bond. By the time they arrived in New York, they were a couple. She was captivated by his vibrant energy and wit, while he was drawn to her calm, introspective nature. They married in 1931 and shared a lifetime together.
Marc Chagall and Bella Rosenfeld
Marc Chagall and Bella Rosenfeld's connection was instant and magnetic when they met in 1909. What made their bond so powerful was their shared way of seeing the world, a vision that would shape both their lives and his art.
Bella, a talented writer, vividly recalled their first encounter: "When you did catch a glimpse of his eyes, they were as blue as if they’d fallen straight out of the sky. They were strange eyes… long, almond-shaped… and each seemed to sail along by itself, like a little boat." She was captivated by him—a feeling that would soon be shared by the art world as his work began to captivate global audiences.
Bella quickly became Chagall's muse, inspiring many of his most iconic works. He famously painted the two of them soaring together through surreal, dreamlike landscapes, their love so pure it defied gravity itself. Tragically, Bella passed away from a throat infection in 1944, leaving Chagall and their daughter, Ida. Chagall would later remarry, living until 1985, but the memory of Bella’s spirit remained woven into his art forever.
Alberto Giacometti and Annette Arm
In 1946, while taking refuge in Switzerland during the turmoil of World War II, Alberto Giacometti met Annette Arm, who was working as a secretary for the Red Cross. Their connection was immediate and intense, and by 1949, they were married.
Following their marriage, Giacometti’s work underwent a profound transformation. His sculptures grew in size yet became even more elongated and fragile. Annette, his devoted muse, became the central figure in his work, remaining his primary model for the rest of his life. The couple lived out their years in a cluttered Montparnasse studio, a place so chaotic that their friend, Jean Genet, described it as "a milky swamp, a seething dump, a genuine ditch." Yet, in that very space, Giacometti's art was
born and evolved.
Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson
Barbara Hepworth’s love life was as dynamic as her art. She married sculptor John Skeaping in 1929, but their relationship ended in divorce in 1934. Shortly after, Hepworth found love with painter Ben Nicholson, with whom she had a deep and lasting partnership. They shared a creative and personal bond, and together, they formed a key part of the British modernist movement. Despite their eventual separation in 1951, Hepworth’s relationships—especially with Nicholson—greatly influenced her work, with themes of love, loss, and connection echoing throughout her sculptures.
Wilfredo Lam and Eva Priz
Details of their relationship remain scarce, but the tragic loss Wilfredo Lam endured is undeniable. Two years after their marriage in 1929, Lam’s wife, Eva Piriz, and their young son both succumbed to tuberculosis. This devastating personal tragedy likely influenced the intense, emotive quality of Lam’s work, imbuing it with a profound sense of darkness and sorrow.
Joan Miró and Pilar Juncosa
Joan Miró and Pilar Juncosa married quickly in 1929, and within a year, they welcomed their daughter, Maria Dolors Miró. Over their 50-year marriage, Pilar had a profound influence on the artist. As Miró himself put it: “My wife Pilar is the ideal companion for me. Without her, I would be an orphan lost in this world. Other than my work, I have no idea of anything or how to organise things. She is my guardian angel.”
Their bond was one of remarkable stability and unity, providing the foundation for a long, balanced, and deeply happy life together.
Feeling the love?
View our Valentines Edit to find the perfect piece by one fo these extraordinary artists.
For the occasion of Valentines Day, we present this stunning original lithograph:
Available at a discount until 10th February
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