Two beings in transcendence, with torrents of gold and a field of flowers. A mesmerizing Judith, with swirls of gold, and the intricate pattern work of her robe. A sunflower hanging its head low, and tiny patterned flowers whose line work makes them deliberately stand out from the leaves that surround it. The gold leaf, the femme fatale, the boldness of it all.
Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer (1907)
At a first glance, Gustav Klimt’s paintings look intriguingly flat, grand and sometimes bizarre. These traits characterized the movement of European Symbolism (aka ‘Art Nouveau’) in fine arts.
The Kiss (1908)
His style didn’t aim to reproduce subjects in a conventionally perceptible (3D) form, relying more on the decorative aspects and flowy lines. This is most evident in his portrait work, most famously the portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer. Her robe and chair are quite vaguely defined and seem to flow into one another, while the mosaic and shimmering gold work take forefront. In fact Adele almost seems to be floating, which is a common motif in most of his work including the highly reproduced, The Kiss.
Jurisprudence (1907)
During his time, his themes were so radical that Klimt with a group of other like minded artists broke away from the Viennese Association of artists and founded a movement, the Vienna Secession, now categorized within European Symbolism; influenced not by a specific style of painting but more by the political and social climate of the time and aimed to reject older, conventional techniques for a more integrated and universal approach, combining applied and fine arts.
Medicine (1907)
For Klimt, it was the influence of Sigmund Freud’s field-defining work in psychoanalysis. The death of family members led him to explore human emotions and repression which is evident in perhaps his most controversial work - three paintings commissioned by the University of Vienna - Medicine, Philosophy and Jurisprudence. The gloomy trio received a generally negative reaction, accusations going as far as ‘perverted excess’; and that it didn’t suit the environment it was meant for. Notice the exploration of the haunting side of each subject, the lack of optimism, a feeling of void and the unconventional countenance of the female figures, which is again a common (and his favourite) motif in his work.
Judith and Holofernes (1901)
The sensual depiction of Judith, who actually looks gratified after beheading Holoferenes. His head is barely in the painting, again, to lay more focus on her unapologetic expression; her earlier seductive actions remain a part of the painting’s narrative and Klimt doesn’t seek to separate that from her. Pious and timid, she is not.
Philosophy (1907)