Last week was marked by Valentine’s Day that always falls on February 14. This renowned festival of romance is celebrated in many ways worldwide and is usually associated with flowers, candy, and greeting cards with poetry and words of love. However, the truth is that you should not wait for Valentine’s Day to say ‘I love you’ to your significant other. Just look around, love is everywhere: in nature, in our families, in all places and things around us, and it is definitely in art.

It is not a secret that love has always been the main source of inspiration for artists, which has resulted in numerous beautiful artworks that can now be found throughout the globe. One of them is the iconic LOVE sculpture. You have no doubt seen it or, at least, one of its many variations in your city or on the Internet, but what do you really know about it? Here are several interesting facts about this incredible piece of the world’s most famous sculptures:

• The LOVE sculpture began as a pop art image created by an American artist Robert Indiana, which was used by MoMA on Christmas cards in 1965.
• The success of the Christmas card design led to the whole exhibition of LOVE-inspired works by Indiana, held at the Stable Gallery in 1966.
• LOVE was turned into a special Valentine’s Day stamp in 1973, becoming one of the best-selling stamps of all time.
• These days, LOVE sculptures, paintings, and prints in different color combinations can be found throughout the world, from New York and Philadelphia to Singapore and Tokyo.
• Indiana did not copyright his LOVE design in the 1960s and all his further attempts also failed, which resulted in numerous imitations.
• LOVE has been translated into many languages, including French, Spanish, and Hebrew, with appropriate sculptures made and exhibited around the globe.
• Everyone knows what LOVE sculptures look like, but only few know that they were designed by Robert Indiana, making him practically anonymous.
• LOVE is not only sculptures and paintings but also book and album covers, jewelry, cufflinks, and a whole range of other things, the design of which has attained a somewhat autonomy, leaving its creator behind.

For today, the world of art is full of LOVE pieces that continue to inspire artists, designers, and architects. However, let’s not forget Robert Indiana, a talented man who brought this beautiful design to life in 1965.