Sonnets of Dark Love, 2000

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Sonetos del Amor Oscuro (Sonnets of Dark Love) was one of the last series of poems written by Federico García Lorca, the celebrated Spanish modernist poet and playwright. Infused with themes of longing, desire, and forbidden love, the poems were written in 1935, inspired by Lorca’s secret love affair with 19-year-old Juan Ramírez de Lucas. The poems remained unpublished until 1984, though unauthorized editions were released before this date. Now considered a national hero of Spain, Lorca was only 38 years old when he was assassinated by fascist forces during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) for his sexual orientation and alleged support of the leftist Popular Front.

For this large and impressive illustrated edition of Sonnets, British printmaker and book artist Carolyn Trant created a series of metaphorical color woodcuts to accompany Lorca’s lyrical homoerotic poems. Trant’s illustration for “Wounds of Love” portrays an abstracted figure, representing Lorca, whose heart is pierced by a nail, standing amid flames that ignite the surrounding landscape. The scene symbolizes the pain and anguish of Lorca’s longing for an absent lover.

Details
Title
Sonnets of Dark Love
Artist Life
1898–1936
Role
Artist
Dimension
22-6/16 × 16-1/4 in.
Accession Number
2018.123.43
Provenance
William P. Kosmas, London, England (d. 2017); Estate of William P. Kosmas, Minneapolis; given to MIA, 2018.
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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