Month: January 2025

Romantic love and the medieval birth of the heart emoji

/ gynocentrism

The transition of the human heart symbol from an anatomically accurate depiction to the more stylized, emoji-like heart we recognize today has a complex history that spans centuries. The heart image we associate with romantic love was first depicted as a heart-shaped pear being shared with a lover, which appeared in the illustrated 13th century French work Li romanz de la poire (“Romance of the Pear”).

The Heart Offering from 1338-44 is considered the first distinctly stylised heart as representation of romantic love. Here (below) a woman gives her heart, shaped as we all know it today, to a man who holds his hand over his own heart.

In one of many pre-modern depictions of the agony of romance, a 1620 drawing from Stuttgart titled “The Contortionist Lover,” shows a woman goading her tortured partner with a heart on a stick:


Interestingly, not only was this stylised depiction of a heart created within the romantic love tradition, but so too was the emblem of a broken heart which appears below in an allegorical depiction of women’s power over men’s hearts (woodcut, 15th century by Master Casper von Regensburg, Berlin, SMB, Kupferstichkabinett) – titled “The Power of Minne.”

For more on the history of the heart image, see also: ‘Frau Minne’ the Goddess who steals men’s hearts: a pictorial excursion

When was the custom of gynocentric chivalry first introduced into India?

/ gynocentrism

The following question was posed to X-AI:

Question: When were the European customs of gynocentric chivalry and romantic love likely introduced into India?

X-AI answer:

The European customs of gynocentric chivalry and romantic love were likely introduced into India during the colonial period, particularly with the expansion of British influence in the 19th century. This period saw significant cultural exchange and the spread of Western literature, customs, and social norms, which included the romantic ideals of chivalry and courtly love from medieval Europe.

  • Colonial Influence: With the British colonization of India, there was an introduction of European literature and cultural practices. British colonial administrators and the educational system brought with them Victorian ideals, which were imbued with chivalric notions of romantic love. This was part of a broader cultural impact that influenced Indian society, including its views on gender roles and love.

  • Literature and Art: The spread of European literature such as novels and poetry, which often celebrated romantic love and chivalry, influenced Indian writers and intellectuals. This can be seen in the evolution of Indian literature where themes of romantic love began to reflect Western influences.

  • Historical Context: While India had its own rich traditions of love and courtship, the specific European model of gynocentric chivalry, with its emphasis on the pedestalization of women, was a new layer added during the colonial era. This period saw a merging of indigenous practices with European ones, leading to a hybrid form of romantic expression in India.

Therefore, while India had its own forms of romantic expression before European contact, the specific customs of gynocentric chivalry and courtly love as known from medieval Europe were likely integrated into Indian culture through British colonial influence in the 19th century.