Young Man in Black, Girl in White by Nils Dardel captures two lovers at the edge of goodbye. Painted in 1919, the work is tied to Dardel’s own love story with Nita Wallenberg, whose family disapproved of their relationship and brought their engagement to an end.

The two figures stand close but turned away from each other, perched on a cliff as if the moment could break at any second. Behind them, twisted branches and jagged leaves seem to carry everything they cannot say. A small boat in the distance adds to the feeling of something beautiful slipping away.