A building riddled with bullet and shell holes caused by the unrelenting attacks in Syria was covered up by Gustav Klimt’s most famous painting, “The Kiss.” This image circulated across the globe and appeared on every social media platform in 2013. The beautiful painting that had once heralded the start of the Twentieth Century was juxtaposed with a devastated building that witnessed atrocious crimes against humanity. The entire world stood up and paid attention, seeing with new eyes the destruction of war and the creative power of art. The artist, Tamman Azzam, was responsible for this melancholic piece, which was created using digital tools and superimposing the image of “The Kiss” on the building. The contrast between art and war caught the attention of thousands, if not millions of eyes who were irredeemably forced to face the suffering of a whole country and understand the terrible consequences of war.
A kiss is one of the purest signs of love, and it has become the crown jewel of the celebrated artist, Gustav Klimt. The Austrian painter played with symbolism, pointillism technique, and made use of all the nascent vanguard trends, to develop a unique style.He combines organic nature with a metallic glow, and his paintings are erotically charged, inviting the viewers to lose themselves in each brushstroke, revealing an exciting new feminine curve.While his style may be unique and stand out above the rest, some falsely believe his paintings vary little from each other. We show you ten paintings so you can uncover a man who achieved a golden immortality through the medium of art.
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The Park (1909)
This is a fine example of the pointillism technique he employed. His work differs greatly from Seurat’s iconic paintings because Klimt never sought optical perfection. Instead, his creative freedom was heavily influenced by the Romantic period prior to the Impressionism that was in full swing at the time.The painting consumes the viewer, and we cannot help but think of Pollock or Kusama, who created something similar half a century later. Klimt continues to surprise us with the elegant multi-dimensional effect he created at the bottom of the painting.
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The Three Ages of Woman (1905)
“Symbologist” is the word that has been used to describe Klimt for some time and has added another layer of meaning to his paintings. Beyond the form and stylized background, Klimt was unafraid to explore social and human issues to make an impact. The purity of infancy, sensuality, and the consecration of youthful beauty are evoked in the first two stages of womanhood. The aging body, bowed down head, and somber colors speak of the natural degeneration of the body.
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Death and Life (1908)
The inevitability of death is understood in a multitude of forms; some embrace and even flirt with it, while others flee from it. Denial and acceptance are inevitable when facing this natural event. Another interpretation that has been given to this painting is that death is always lurking, but it can never break the sacred circle of life because it is always in motion.Death is covered with Christian crosses, and its macabre smile has a twinge of loneliness, as it is left outside the warm glow of life and the jumbled bodies that thrive within it.
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The Virgin (1913)
Can you spot the subtlety and sublime eroticism in Klimt’s paintings? You cannot deny the influence of Schiele, but his explicit power led him on an entirely different path. Klimt meanders through the road of womanhood, and in his eyes, the beginning and the ending of the journey starts with sex. We see a beautiful woman whose face is filled with happiness and pleasure, and her naked body is sumptuously covered by a stylized blanket. Her arms are flung out in rest and exultation, and behind her we can see other women lying amidst the detailed covers. Klimt invites us to luxuriate in the meaning of beauty in art.
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Judith I (1901)
A pleasure-filled face of a woman who has committed a murder. While in normal terms this could never be described as sensual or beautiful, Klimt has a unique interpretation of this biblical myth. The viewer is powerless and is irrevocably drawn to Judith’s dangerous sexuality.The long neck craning back, her delicate nudity, and her drooping eyes speak of a woman who surrenders to the ecstasy of killing her people’s enemy. The delicate combination of the gold and black is evocative of the interesting play between myths and emotions.
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Portrait of Adele Bloch Bauer I (1907)
Judith’s face is far more sensual, but we cannot overlook Adele’s sensuous gaze. Klimt captured Adele in different occasions, and in this painting he showcases the grace and beauty he was capable of wielding in his paintbrush. Influenced by Egyptian art, Klimt added the characteristic golden elements without forgetting the naturalism that was common at the time. The heavy ornamentation is contrasted heavily with the delicacy of her features and demure hands. This painting spells the ending of Klimt’s Golden Phase.
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Danae (1907)
Once again Klimt employed myths to demonstrate the eroticism found in all of us since ancient times. Danae is seduced by Jupiter, who takes the shape of a golden shower that covers her body. Her nakedness is embraced by a celestial curtain, and the erotic power of the painting is so subtle that it is a masterpiece of art and sexuality. Danae’s sleeping form is enveloped in pleasure, and her parted lips make the viewer believe she is signing in pleasure. Her fingers are firmly grasping the silken coverlet, allowing the viewer to have a further glimpse of her naked body, creating a voyeuristic game that is hard to escape. –
Hope II (1907)
This is one of Klimt’s most beautiful and powerful works. A beautiful pregnant woman is gazing at her belly with the hope that her child is born healthy. Close to her belly we spot two skulls that serve as a bad omen, but these are not fully revealed in the painting. It is as if the prayer of the women lying on the skirts of the future mother repel any evil augur. The tense interaction between life and death is beautifully summarized in this painting.
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The Beethoven Frieze (1902)
Created for an exhibition dedicated to the famous musician, Klimt wished to illustrate the human desire to pursue happiness in a world filled with pain and fear. The fresco was sold to a private collector, which is why it was forgotten by the public consciousness. It wasn’t until the nineteen seventies that the Austrian government purchased it, and it was finally open to the public in 1986. We are now finally able to admire one of the greatest works of art of the twentieth century. –
The Tree of Life (1905)
Without a doubt this is one of the most successful representations of an element that has been used in philosophy and theology for centuries. Some consider this work a faithful representation of a tree connecting the earth with the heavens. Others argue it is an allegory of the masculine and feminine, where the phallic symbols contrast with the delicate and organic growth of the tree that can be appreciated in the curves of this painting. Klimt perfectly juggles the naked body, nature, and symbolism in his work, and his visual representations remain etched in your mind for a long time. He proved that art can be both beautiful and thrilling at the same time. He refashioned important myths, and he employed eroticism in such a subtle manner that he gave the world important and irreplaceable pieces of art. Besides being innovative, his work changed the world, and for that he will always be remembered and well loved.
