Love

Since first appearing on the Museum of Modern Art’s 1965 Christmas card, Robert Indiana’s “LOVE” quickly permeated the popular imagination, appearing everywhere from life-size sculptures to government-issued stamps. The design’s appeal was timeless, yet also emblematic of the idealistic and free-loving 1960s. As art legend has it, Indiana was first bemused and later conflicted about the instant runaway success of his design, worried that it may have ruined his reputation among the art world elite as a one-hit wonder. Despite the artist’s private insecurities, “LOVE” remains one of the most treasured works in 20th-century American sculpture—breaking $4.1 million at auction in 2011.