Many famous italian renaissance artworks were made to celebrate love and marriage they were the pinnacles of a tradition dating from the early renaissance of commemorating betrothal marriage and the birth of a child by commissioning extraordinary objects or exchanging them as gifts. Department of european paintings the metropolitan museum of art november 2008 clasped hands couples in facing profile garlands of myrtle the words fede faith and volo i wish to these are graphic declarations of love and fidelity that grace renaissance art conjuring up elements of contemporary marriage ritual and tokens of amorous exchange they afford an unparalleled insight into . Bayer a art and love in renaissance italy metropolitan museum of art series amazonde bayer andrea cartwright sarah henning andreas mcnab jessie . This exhibition explores the various exceptional objects created to celebrate love and marriage in the italian renaissance the approximately 150 objects which date from about 1400 to the mid sixteenth century range from exquisite examples of maiolica and jewelry given as gifts to the couple to marriage portraits and paintings that extol sensual love and fecundity such as the metropolitan . Having recently co authored a novel that focuses on art and love in renaissance italy and on the intimate lives of the women who lived in it i was delighted to see the magnificent catalogue published to accompany the metropolitan museum exhibition on art and love in renaissance italy lavishly illustrated with works in a variety of media from painting to ceramic vessels to wooden birth