How did medieval artists depict love? Here are a few images of love from medieval manuscripts:

From a 14th century manuscript of the Le Roman de la Rose (Bibliothèque nationale de France)


Marginal miniature of a couple embracing. (British Library Stowe 17 f. 143)

Miniature of courtiers and servants observing a couple lying in bed (British Library Harley 4373 f. 88v)

Seduction of Lancelot Le livre de Lancelot du Lac, made ca. 1401-1425 (Bibliothèque nationale de France)

Detail of a miniature of a priest marrying a couple. (British Library Royal 10 E IV f. 229v)


Lady Love (Minne) shoots an arrow on the Lover. Detail of a painting found on the inside a boxlid, Germany, c.1320.

Medieval couple found in an early 13th century manuscript from Millstatt Abbey in Austria.

Tender embrace depicted by the Master of Guillebert de Mets c.1425.

An image from the Codex Manesse, a book of poetry made in Zurich around 1304-5. Each image, including this one, depicts of the poets in this book. Here we have Konrad von Altstetten embracing his lover. (Codex Manesse, UB Heidelberg, Cod. Pal. germ. 848, fol. 249v)