The Van Gogh Museum exhibits the series of Amour prints by Maurice Denis

The series of Love prints by artist Maurice Denis (1870-1943) can be seen from Saturday at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The Frenchman based these 1899 works on the poetic passages he wrote in his diary about his love for his future wife Marthe Meurier. According to the Amsterdam Museum, the series is considered the pinnacle of his work.

Denis belonged to a group of young painters and engravers, called Les Nabis, who became interested in the technique of color lithography around 1900. He worked on this series for more than three years. The exhibition features 13 color lithographs and 45 drawings and prints from various collections in Europe and the United States. According to the museum, the works have been brought together in this way for the first time.

In the series, the artist refers to phrases from his poems in the titles of his prints. “Amour contains all sorts of hidden references to the love between Maurice and Marthe, such as portraits and dozens of roses, Marthe’s favorite flowers,” says curator Fleur Roos Rosa de Carvalho. “The series as a whole is a monumental tribute to the love of his wife, in a gesture similar to the Taj Mahal.”

The romantic exhibition, which lasts until May 15, includes several activities on Valentine’s Day, such as a love tour and live piano music. There is also a free painting workshop where lovers can portray themselves.