Jonathan Trew: The Kiss is one of the most famous depictions of love

Published on 01/02/2013 12:28

MORE astute readers will already have Valentine’s Day in the bag but anyone who has yet to arrange some sort of romantic gesture may be interested to know that a version of Rodin’s sculpture The Kiss has just arrived at the Scottish National Gallery.

Auguste Rodin made three full-size marble versions of The Kiss. This piece, which is on loan from Tate Britain for a year, is the second in the series and was completed in 1904.

While the sculpture is one of the most famous depictions of love, its inspiration is rather torrid. It shows the adulterous lovers Paolo Malatesta and Francesca da Rimini, characters from Dante’s Divine Comedy. The couple were murdered after being discovered by Francesca’s husband and Paolo’s older brother, Gianciotto.

On the other side of the Forth, the sixth Fife Jazz Festival is underway this weekend. One of the highlights will be two gigs by the wonderfully named Mud Morganfield. Mud is the eldest son of the blues man Muddy Waters. His band includes a harmonica player with the equally exotic moniker of West Weston. They play Dunfermline’s Carnegie Hall tonight and the town hall in St Andrews tomorrow evening.

The festival also features three concerts by the American jazz pianist and vocalist Champian Fulton. Playing three concerts in St Andrews, Crossford and Freuchie, Ms Fulton’s take on Tinpan Alley classics has made her the toast of New York City. Freuchie should be a breeze.

Much like Syria or Sudan, Iran is seldom in the headlines for happy reasons. Edinburgh’s third Iranian Festival aims to look beyond the depressing images which usually depict Iran and showcase the country’s cultural heritage. The National Museum of Scotland is hosting an exhibition of Iranian art which runs until the end of April. Tomorrow afternoon, the museum is the venue for a fusion of contemporary dance and traditional Persian music from Azadi. A programme of films, concerts and stand-up shows run throughout Edinburgh over the next week.

• www.nationalgalleries.org; www.fifejazzfestival.com; www.ediranfest.co.uk