This article is dedicated to today's event. On July 14, 2012, Gustav Klimt would have turned 150 years old.. Gustav Klimt is an Austrian artist, born on July 14, 1862. Many call him the founder of Austrian modernism. The artist painted mainly women, naked women. His paintings often contained overt eroticism.
Klimt's father was also an artist and a gold engraver. My mother dreamed of becoming a musician all her life, but it never worked out for her. There were 8 children in the Klimt family, Gustav was born second.
The child spent his childhood in poverty, despite good profession father. There was no permanent job in the country, so I had to go through financial difficulties. Gustav learned to draw from his father, but already in 1876 he entered the art and craft school, where his brother also entered in 1877. All three sons of Ernest Klimt became artists in the future.
The brothers worked together for a long time, decorating theaters, various buildings, and museums with frescoes. In 1888, Gustav received a well-deserved award - “ Golden Cross"from Emperor Franz Joseph himself. Everything was going well, and things were looking up, but in 1892, Gustav Klimt’s father and brother died, and therefore the entire responsibility for providing for the family fell on the artist’s shoulders.
Gustav Klimt I wrote a lot, especially when he and his family went to Lake Attersee, and this was quite often. It was here that he completed his beautiful landscapes. This is the only genre that interested the artist, where people did not appear. But despite this, many scientists find human figures in Klimt’s landscapes, and there is some truth in this.
In 1894, Klimt received one of the large orders. It was necessary to paint 3 paintings that would decorate the ceiling of the University of Vienna. Thus, in 1900, “Philosophy”, “Medicine” and “Jurisprudence” were born. But society did not accept these paintings, considering them too explicit, and therefore they were not exhibited at the university. This was Klimt's last public commission.
Since the beginning of the 1900s, the so-called “ Golden period"artist's creativity. It was during this time that such paintings as “The Palace of Athena”, “Judith” and others were created. At this time, society adequately perceived Klimt’s works, but this is not the only reason why this period was called golden. The color of gold and gilding very often prevailed in the artist’s paintings, which fans of his work really liked.
Gustav Klimt led a normal life, worked a lot, and at home. He was famous artist, so orders came to him regularly, and he only took on interesting ones. Women posed for him with great pleasure, some of them were prostitutes. Klimt said that he was not interested in painting self-portraits; it was much more exciting to paint other personalities, and especially women. Gustav claimed that his paintings could say a lot about him, just by looking at them carefully.
February 6, 1918 biography of Gustav Klimt ends. He died of pneumonia, having previously suffered a stroke. He was buried in Vienna. Today is the 150th anniversary of the birth of this wonderful artist and this date should not go unnoticed. Well, as we promised at the end of this article, you can watch a video, dedicated to paintings Gustav Klimt.
Gustav Klimt. Photo from 1914
Gustav Klimt: “My self-portraits do not exist. I am not interested in my own person as an object for depiction. I prefer other people, especially women, and, moreover, other forms of existence...”
Schubert at the clavier. 1896 Oil, canvas. 150200 cm. Lost in 1945
The musician's face is conveyed with extraordinary photographic accuracy. Behind it is the inscription Anno Domini and the date of creation of the work, written in Roman numerals - MDCCCLXXXX. The master borrowed this technique from the artists of the Middle Ages.
The painting is placed in a wide copper frame made by Gustav's older brother. Using the embossing method, a stylized antique design is applied to it, in which there is also an image of a lyre - with its help, the master hints at the profession of the person depicted.
"Vienna Secession"
The period from 1891 to 1898 is a transitional period in Klimt's life. Ernest's father and younger brother died in 1892. Over time, the painter comes to a symbolic-erotic interpretation of images and the choice of allegorical subjects, changing the color palette.
Their motto was the words of Ludwig Hevesy, placed above the entrance to the Secession House: “Time has its art, art has its freedom.”
Klimt boldly experimented, searched for his own style, without fear of criticism and the sidelong glances of his contemporaries. In his works of this period one can see features of both symbolism and impressionism.
In 1898, the first exhibition of the Secession was held, where Klimt presented to the public “Pallas Athena” - a painting that received the nickname “demon of the Secession” and subsequently became a symbol of the new unification. To create this work, the artist used gold for the first time.
Athena is the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom, justice and art. In Klimt, she is a superwoman, confident in herself and in her victory, in armor and with a weapon in her hands. On Athena's breastplate is the head of the Gorgon, which sticks out its tongue to all critics of the secession, behind her is an image of the battle of Hercules with the Lernaean Hydra.
As for the execution technique and motifs, this work reflected the future preferences of the master as a portrait artist.
Hall of the old palace theater in Vienna. 1888 Gouache, paper. 91.2103 cm. Vienna Museum on Karlsplatz (Vienna, Austria)
"Arts, choir of angels of heaven." The figures in this part of the fresco mean joy and God's sparks.
Klimt created the frieze in such a way that the work became the property of the state. In the 1950s, August's son Erich, who emigrated to Switzerland, received part of the collection back, including the Beethoven Frieze, but was unable to take it out of Austria. Frequent transportation and improper storage took their toll: the work urgently needed to be restored. The Austrian government, after long negotiations, bought the masterpiece.
Until 1985, the frieze was not exhibited anywhere. Since 1986 it has been located in the Secession House. Only almost 20 years later the work was restored and put on public display in the British Tate Gallery (Liverpool).
By this time, the friends completely disagreed about work, so their duet broke up. However, it was this year that became a turning point, a landmark in creative biography Klimt. To decorate the university, he created three monumental panels: “Philosophy”, “Medicine” and “Jurisprudence”, which became the cause of the scandal that erupted around the artist and his work.
Klimt chose his own path, different from the usual academicism. Instead of depicting the triumph of the sciences in a traditional manner, the master showed the respectable Viennese public the “real” face of each discipline:
“Philosophy” - a naked girl who leads the people to nowhere (written in dark blue);
“Medicine” soullessly turns away from the crowd of the sick and dying, she looks more like a priestess who is ready to sacrifice a person rather than cure him (done in red, into which the image of death is woven with a blue train);
“Jurisprudence” in the person of the three furies mercilessly attacks the human victim (for this panel the master chose a thick black color).
Later, Klimt formulated the meaning of “Jurisprudence” as follows: “The figure group on the left is the awakening of life, fruitful being, disappearance.
The composition of all three works is asymmetrical: human bodies in them are contrasted with the voids of the background.
The panels caused a surge of negative criticism: respected professors considered them pornographic. It was in these works that for the first time the eroticism characteristic of the artist’s work was so clearly manifested.
The work “Goldfish” (the original title was “To My Critics”) was written in response to the acute negative assessment of the faculty’s paintings. The candid angle of the red-haired beast in the foreground speaks for itself. Such courage and freedom of judgment required complete financial independence. And Klimt found a great way to enlist the support of influential people in Vienna. He began to paint portraits of their wives!
Women's images
Now Klimt did not care about public opinion or fashion. He could afford to write what he liked, and the way he wanted. Having become the leader of the Vienna Secession, the artist began to boldly experiment.
Early ones include portraits of Klimt's sister Clara and niece Helena.
Dining room at Stoclet Palace (Brussels). General view of the mosaic
Early portraits
Helena Klimt is the six-year-old niece of the artist, who became her guardian after the death of her brother Ernest. Growing up, Helena began working at the Flöge sisters' fashion house and eventually (after her mother's death) became its co-owner.
Pageboy haircut, eyebrow-length bangs, narrow face stripe. Light dress and background contrast with dark ones brown hair. Like other early works by Klimt, this portrait is half-length.
Some portraits of this period left secret the names of the models who posed for the artist. These include, for example, the stranger depicted in the painting “Lady in a Hat Made of a Boa and Feathers.”
For an artist, what is often important is not so much who he depicted on his canvases, but the very opportunity to admire wonderful female images. All of them are written in a unique Klimtian style, based on a mixture of impressionism, ornamental art and symbolism. Later images are completely different.
in the garden, which is not typical for other portraits where the figures are painted in the interior.
In 1899, commissioned by August Lederer, Klimt painted a portrait of his wife Serena. The canvas format is elongated vertically, and the standing figure occupies almost all the free space. The background gives no idea where the model is: she seems to be outside of time and space.
The Vienna Secession could carry out its activities only with good sponsorship.
The works created by the artist between 1898 and 1903 have features of both symbolism and impressionism.
This is the first work that Klimt painted in a new manner: a typical classical, rather than psychological, portrait of a woman (it is not intended to show the depth of the model’s inner world, her experiences).
The artist gave Sonya a dreamy expression on her face. But at the same time, she is characterized by some arrogance, indifference and aloofness. Compositionally, the painting can be divided diagonally into two parts: Klimt contrasts dark and light, background and foreground, emptiness and fullness. On the one hand, Frau Knieps is realistic and lively, on the other hand, she is inaccessible and distant. She holds onto the armrest with her left hand, as if she wants to stand up. Model shown
An expressive face framed by dark hair and thick black eyebrows stand out against a pastel background. Realism in the depiction of the face and hands is combined with the airiness of the clothes: the dress flows along the heroine’s legs - it seems that she is “born” from sea foam. The effect is enhanced by the fact that there is practically no free space in the foreground of the picture: Serena does not seem to be standing on the ground.
Ermine Gallia, née Hamburger (1870-1936). In 1893, she married her uncle, Moritz Gallia, a government adviser who was one of the most generous philanthropists of the time.
It is noteworthy that the woman is depicted in a dress that Gustav Klimt himself designed. Unfortunately, it is impossible to see the true colors used by the master, since the pigments (one of the paint components) of this painting have undergone significant changes over time.
This is one of the characteristic features of portraits of this period: Klimt cuts off the lower edge of the figure: the model’s dress goes beyond the frame, the legs are not visible, which creates the impression of the heroine floating. This effect is enhanced by contrast: in the portrait of Serena there is a white dress and dark hair, in the portrait of Maria Henneberg there is a light dress, dark hair and a bouquet of violets.
In 1905, Klimt painted a portrait of Margaret Stonborough-Wittgenstein - one of the most interesting female images. This modern and educated girl belonged to the Viennese elite. The portrait was ordered by my father as a wedding day gift. The bride of the famous American doctor Thomas Stonborough, in a white dress against a light background, looks dreamily into the distance. It is known that she was not very pleased with the artist’s work.
The artist knew how to please husbands: he painted their wives with a serene and dreamy expression on their faces, giving them feigned indifference, arrogance, and detachment from the world.
Vienna loved just such a Klimt. At the end of the century, the minds of the intelligentsia were occupied by the theme of the struggle of the sexes, the dominance of women over men. Discussions on this issue continued in salons, and various opinions were expressed. The rich and fastidious public was satisfied with the artist’s works; patrons from high society did not refuse sponsorship for the secession.
The relationship between Ernest and Helena developed rapidly and culminated in a wedding. But Gustav and Emilia never got married, although they remained close throughout their lives.
A sweet 13-year-old girl was brought to Klimt by her father, cabinetmaker Hermann Flöge (who eventually became rich and became the first manufacturer of smoking pipes in the entire empire). Seeing his daughter’s ability to draw, he decided to send her to study with an artist. Emilia did not take up painting professionally, but the lessons were nevertheless not in vain. All the Flöge sisters were excellent sewers. The eldest Polina opened a school for seamstresses. Emilia also studied there for some time.
Around the same time, the master painted two portraits of the young beauty. Much later, familiar features will appear in other works of the master, but for now...
There were simply no other men besides Klimt in Emilia’s life. When the girl realized what to hope for family life It was pointless to be with her loved one, she turned for advice to the then famous professional psychoanalyst, Sigmund Freud.
Heeding the advice, Emilia, together with Helena, opened a fashion house, which appealed to the taste of the bourgeois public. The young woman became independent, financially secure and was able to “cure” from her pathological love for the maestro. However, the relationship did not fade away, it simply became different: calmer, more friendly. The artist called Emilia his best friend, appreciated her advice and enjoyed spending time with her. Sometimes they appeared together at social events.
Portrait of Emilia Flöge at 17 years old. 1891
Klimt chose a narrow vertical format and depicted Emilia in full height. The heroine’s pose also conveys determination and confidence: her left hand rests on her hip, her head is raised proudly, her open gaze is fixed on the viewer.
The artist “dressed” the girl in a dress unusual for that time, invented by him: the forest and field seemed to have woven a carpet and wrapped the slender figure in their ornamental train.
The public took this portrait as a challenge. At that time, dresses with numerous ruffles and frills were in fashion, but here it is! Even the artist’s mother expressed dissatisfaction with the too deep neckline, which, in her opinion, went beyond the bounds of decency.
Klimt and Flöge were together for 27 years. Despite numerous women, in the most difficult moments of the master’s life (the death of his father, brother, mother), only Emilia was nearby. She was with him until the end.
The 1907 portrait shows 26-year-old Adele sitting in a chair. The figure occupies the entire right side of the canvas and appears to be cut off at the top.
The entire lower third of the canvas is occupied by the hem of the model’s dress. Adele, like Emilia, looks at the viewer. Hands clasped in front of the chest. Cold tones and a realistic image of the face and hands contrast with the warm golden elements of the composition and stand out against the background of the ornaments. Black hair and disproportionately large red lips further attract the eye to the face of the lady depicted in such an unusual manner.
Adele is wearing a tight dress and a shawl. Everything is dotted with Klimt’s favorite motifs: spirals, the “all-seeing eye” inscribed in a triangle, squares, rectangles. It's hard to guess where the chair is in this kaleidoscope of patterns. There are no shadows, no depth of space, the image is flat, ornamental.
Austria lost its business card in 2006. Heiress (daughter of Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer's brother) Maria Altman sold the Golden Adele to Ronald Lauder for a record $135 million. However, this was preceded by a protracted seven-year trial to return her family values(including the portrait of Bloch-Bauer), lost during the war.
The Austrian government tried to save the national treasure: negotiations were held with banks about borrowing money to buy the painting from Altman, and the population collected donations. However, all efforts were in vain: the amount of 300 million dollars (that’s how much five Klimt paintings were valued at) turned out to be too much.
This caused a real “artistic” disaster in Klimt’s homeland. It is difficult to imagine the Belvedere without the “Golden Adele”, because it is a reproduction of this painting that adorns the covers of all Austrian guidebooks. Herbert Frodi (director of the gallery) called the incident “an immeasurable loss for the museum collection and for cultural space Austria as a whole." Millions of Austrians lost their icon. Now the painting is in the New Gallery in New York (its owner is the American entrepreneur Ronald Lauder).
However, this portrait of Adele is not the only one.
A black-haired beauty in a huge hat is depicted in the center from the front, she looks over the viewer somewhere into the distance. The background is divided into large planes, ornamentally organized in the spirit of Klimt based on oriental fabrics. The colors are delicate and rich.
Love. 1895 Oil, canvas. 62.546.5 cm. Kunsthistorisches Museum (Vienna, Austria)
At this time, the artist began to deviate a little from the usual abundance of gold. In this portrait, as in other works of that time, the figure stands confidently on his feet, there is no longer that illusion of flight and soaring that was created by the cropped dress extending beyond the frame. The influence of Matisse is felt.
The second portrait of Adele also left her native Austria: in 2006 it was sold for $88 million to a private collection.
There are other, earlier works for which Adele Bloch-Bauer was the model. She can be easily recognized in Judith I, as well as in Judith II.
"Golden period"
Since 1903, Klimt traveled a lot: he visited Venice, Ravenna, Florence, Madrid, Rome, Brussels. After this, the “golden period” of his work begins: the artist borrowed a new technique from Italian masters. Gilding, relief images of ornaments, decorativeness - here characteristic features works of this time.
Fritz Ridler's 1906 portrait shows golden background surfaces that could be either walls or floors. The artist easily combines schematic, sketchy images and precise elaboration of details. Fritz is sitting in a chair, the ornament of which is made of peacock eyes. As in others women's portraits, her image combines tenderness and humility with hidden eroticism and passion.
Ridler's portrait is reminiscent of Diego Velazquez's depiction of the Infanta Maria Teresa. Behind Fritz's head is a semicircle of rectangular ornamental elements, very similar to the hairstyles worn during the time of the Infanta.
This work was of no small importance in Klimt’s further work. It was here that closed areas of the background covered with gold were first encountered, and a tendency towards geometrization emerged, which manifested itself in full force in the portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer (1907).
Women's portraits of the "golden period", painted since 1903, are united by a single stylistic solution. All the models seem to have disappeared into the golden ornament, the figures have lost their outlines - they seem to “float” in Klimt’s fictional world.
One of the iconic paintings of this period is a kind of hymn to love - “The Kiss”.
Klimt claimed that he never painted self-portraits, but Gilles Néré is sure that in the painting “The Kiss” he nevertheless depicted himself and Emilia Flöge. In the image of the heroine, similar features of Emilia, Adele Bloch-Bauer, and the red-haired model Hilda Roth are captured. In the face of the girl on this canvas, the artist created collective image women.
He is an adult mature man, she is young and blooming. Desire, passion, tension. They are on the edge, on the edge of a cliff. Alone in the Universe. A man and a woman have merged into one, ready to dissolve in each other, an all-consuming happiness has taken possession of their bodies and minds.
The aura of the canvas is mesmerizing: it is impossible to take your eyes off it. Everyone sees something different in the picture: passion, tenderness, humility, or even coercion and submission.
The abundance of gold is also impressive. Most of the surface of the canvas shines: the clothes of the characters, the stems of plants, and drops in the background. This probably also affected the high appreciation of the work, because precious metal has always been associated with mysticism and was considered a sign of material wealth and significance.
It’s not for nothing that this painting is called the “golden icon of Art Nouveau.”
Despite the fact that “The Kiss” was written only a year later than “The Golden Adele,” some changes in the technique of depicting figures are clearly visible in it. Only at first glance the pictures are very similar. For example, Adele is placed on the right side of the canvas and is organically included in the background pattern: her clothes, breaking up into an infinite number of squares, circles and triangles, become an integral part of it.
But in “The Kiss” the master acted completely differently: male and female figure located in the center of the canvas and highlighted from the general neutral background. In addition, the boundaries of the flower meadow in which the artist placed the couple merging in an embrace are extremely clearly marked. Another significant difference in the paintings is the manner in which the women’s faces are depicted.
After the Viennese expressed their admiration for “The Kiss,” Klimt allowed himself a more frank plot: in “Danae” female sexuality reaches its apogee. According to legend, the king of Argos Acrisius, having learned that he would be killed by his own grandson, imprisoned his daughter Danae in a copper tower and assigned a maid to her. He hoped that in this way he had reliably hidden her from men. However, despite such precautions, Danae was still destined to become the mother of Perseus: captivated by the beauty of the girl, Zeus penetrated her in the form of golden rain.
Without any hesitation, Klimt painted the heroine at the moment of love ecstasy. This subject was used by many masters, such as Mabuse (1527), Titian (1545-1546, 1553-1554), Tintoretto (1580) and Rembrandt (1636-1647). However, none of them depicted Danae in such a revealing pose.
And again there are no distracting details in the picture. Distorted perspective, choice of an unusual angle, gold ornate ornament - all this is designed to show the natural feminine beauty. Danae's body is a kind of ornamental cipher. The viewer seems to be present at a very intimate act, but at the same time is at a distance.
Gustav Klimt with Emilie Flöge in the garden of Villa Oleander near Attersee
For a long time, art historians did not pay due attention to the images of the circles that decorate the bedspread on the right side of the canvas. Only several decades later did biologists identify them as blastocyst vesicles (an early stage of mammalian embryonic development). Probably, Klimt gained such knowledge from scientific lectures that Bertha Zuckerkandl’s husband gave in his house (he was a famous Hungarian-Austrian anatomist).
It is interesting that “Danae” is the first allegorical painting for which the artist abandoned the elongated vertical format, preferring a square. At the bottom left of the canvas you can find a small black rectangle - a symbol of masculinity (its image is also found in other works of the master, for example in “The Kiss”, where the black and white rectangles on the man’s cloak sharply contrast with the circles on the clothes of his beloved, and are contrasted with them) .
In 1909, Klimt went to Paris, where he discovered Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, became acquainted with the works of Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin and Pablo Picasso, as well as the leader of the Fauvism movement, Henri Matisse. His works subsequently had a great influence on the work of the Austrian “master of the golden brush” (this is clearly visible in the painting “Virgin”, where yellow, green, red, blue and violet colors become a kind of symbol of life conquering the serenity of sleep).
Stoclet's heirs have not yet decided what to do with the building, so, unfortunately, the entrance inside is closed to tourists; no one has lived in the palace for many years.
Klimt's last monumental work is the frieze for the dining room in the Brussels palace. The artist created sketches of the mosaic panel, and Leopold Forstner carried out the work in the material.
The mosaics are located on three walls: two large figured sections are installed opposite each other, with a small decorative insert between them. They are made up of various materials: marble, ceramics, gilded tiles and enamel, decorated with pearls and semi-precious stones.
To implement his plan, Hoffman attracted a team of professionals, including Klimt. Captivated by the idea of a “total work of art” and not limited by funds, the architect created something completely new, which had no analogues, but which subsequently gave rise to many imitations.
Landscapes
A separate part of Klimt's legacy is landscapes. He was irresistibly attracted by crystal lakes, high mountains and dense forests. He especially loved the area around Lake Attersee in the north of the region, where he often vacationed with Emilia Flöge. There he painted numerous landscapes.
These are not commissioned works: the master created them in moments of relaxation. Unlike most portraits and decorative paintings, executed on elongated vertical canvases, a square format is chosen for almost all landscapes. According to Klimt, the square is the most stable shape, static and complete.
The peculiarity of these works is that upon closer examination they seem to break up into hundreds and thousands of mosaic fragments. Some researchers of the artist’s work suggest that he first looked through a telescope at what he was going to paint.
In the manner of depicting water, the creative influence of the Impressionists can be traced: the transfer of highlights on the water, chiaroscuro and flickering of light, as well as a clear separation of strokes and the use of light shades of paint. This is especially noticeable in the films “Swamp” and “Island on Attersee”.
In these works, the artist paid attention not only to the careful drawing of the water surface, but also to the architectural details of the ancient castle, built in the 13th century.
By the way, the master depicted Kammer and its picturesque surroundings more than once. One of the first works dates back to 1908.
According to researchers of Klimt’s work, the influence of Van Gogh is clearly visible in this work: this is the choice of color palette and relief strokes. Almost vertically upward branches symbolize the external orderliness and harmony of nature.
One of the most famous works is considered to be “Malcesine Castle on the Island of Garda” (the artist vacationed there with Emilia in 1913). Central location The canvas is occupied by the medieval castle of the Scaligers - a powerful defensive structure, around which the town of Malcesine grew over time. Unfortunately, the painting was lost in 1945.
The only surviving work depicting the Garda is “Church in Kassone” (another title is “Landscape with Cypress Trees”). The resort town is painted from a boat. There is no sky on the canvas: the buildings become the compositional center. Most of the picture is occupied by an old church.
Lush crowns of spherical trees and dark cypress trees balance the light buildings.
The fate of the picture was not easy. It originally belonged to Victor and Paula Zuckerkandl.
For several decades the fate of the painting was unknown, but in 1962 it was exhibited in Austria with the note “From private collection" Following a deal between the unnamed owner of the landscape and its rightful owner, the son of Mathilde Redlich, the Church at Cassone was sold at Sotheby's in 2010 for more than $43 million. This is one of Klimt's most expensive landscapes.
A group of artists who founded the Vienna Secession (Klimt sits on the throne).
It was unusual for Klimt's early landscapes to use dark colors. But later works are written in more saturated colors, which gives them mystery.
“Lake Shore with Birches” dates back to 1901: a sparkling surface of water, the right side of the canvas is crossed by two flexible trunks. This picture is distinguished by an unexpected angle, contrasts of forms, and at the same time unity and complexity of the composition. Thus, the trees on the right are painted from a very close distance, and the opposite bank on the left is depicted in reverse perspective. Elongated birch trees cross a triangular piece of the lake, the shape of which is repeated by the bush reflected in it. Silver-white trunks in the foreground contrast with dark trees in the distance, lush green grass and a scattering of yellow flowers contrast with the blue surface of the lake.
It is interesting that this painting by the famous Austrian became known only recently. In 1902, a couple from the Netherlands purchased it at an exhibition in Düsseldorf.
Klimt (although the artist, as a rule, did not make sketches for landscapes). In addition, a previously unknown photograph from an exhibition held in 1902 at the Secession House was discovered. On one of the walls the “Lake Shore with Birch Trees” is clearly visible.
White-gray trunks with black spots stand out clearly on it. In an absolutely incredible way, with just a few colors, Klimt achieves stunning realism in depicting landscapes.
The top edge of all forest canvases is cut off, so they are covered with repeated tree trunks. This verticality makes them look like woven tapestries (“ pine forest", "Beech Grove", "Birch Forest").
In “Beech Grove”, most of the canvas is devoted to a motley background - the carpet of fallen leaves has practically no free space, which the artist did not like so much (the exception is “Beech Grove”, where the sky is visible here and there between the trunks at the top). In these works there is not even a hint of the presence of humans or animals, but the depiction of nature is not devoid of life: all landscapes breathe, are sad, and rejoice. Autumn fills them not only with colors, but also with the rustle of fallen leaves and their rotten aroma.
Despite the fact that the artist reproduced what he saw “here and now” (when working on landscapes, he, as a rule, did not even make pencil sketches), these paintings cannot be classified as impressionistic. Unlike representatives of this movement, the “master of the golden brush” was not interested in simple contemplation of landscapes and their reproduction on canvas.
The landscape with the poplar stands out, where the artist conveyed an unusual state of nature: an approaching thunderstorm at dusk. The picture exudes anxiety and mystery. Compositionally most canvas given to the sky:
bizarrely shaped clouds are gathering over the giant poplar. The silhouette of the tree rising behind the small chapel looks like a tornado that is about to devour everything that gets in its way. In depicting the crown, Klimt uses pointillist techniques: he paints with small strokes, almost dotted.
The same pictorial manner is characteristic of later works, where, in addition, there is also asymmetry, a break in planes and an intense color scheme. Their distinctive feature is a rather rich color palette and small, fractional strokes. It was thanks to these techniques that the master was able to clearly structure the composition. An exception is the work of 1898 - “Orchard”, where only a few colors were used.
Works with images of flowers (for example, “ Flower garden", "Field of poppies", "Blooming cornfield") resemble a motley pattern on chintz fabric: they seem to be made up of repeatedly repeating mosaic pieces.
Unlike the Impressionists, the master was not keen on conveying light and shadow: his floral landscapes are quite schematic, extremely decorative and detailed (this shows the typical influence of the East in Art Nouveau).
"Field of Poppies" is one of Klimt's most deceptive paintings. It is noteworthy that in this work (however, this also applies to “Blooming Field”, written two years later) there is a hint of perspective: the size of poppies and trees becomes smaller as they approach the horizon.
Erotic and naturalistic graphics
Gustav Klimt was an outstanding draftsman. Before starting to create the painting, he made many sketches and sketches.
Many of Klimt's drawings are independent works art that reveals the secrets of the artist’s creative style and his vision of the world. In the paintings, the unbridled sexuality of the models is partially hidden by brightly decorated clothes and background ornaments. But the drawings reveal a completely different Klimt.
A separate part of the legacy left by the master - frankly erotic works(some of them critics classify as best works Klimt). In them he shows a woman in the most intimate moments: at the peak of the highest pleasure, at the moment of unbridled passion or serene sleep after lovemaking (for example, these include “Lying on her stomach”, “Reclining Nude”, as well as a preparatory sketch for “Danae” "). The artist admires them and admires them, sharing his emotions with the audience. The women in his drawings are sexually liberated and unusually hypersensual.
Some graphic works are incredibly realistic. Among them is "Nude II": with amazing precision, using only black chalk and white pencil, the master depicts a nude female figure.
Country garden with sunflowers. 1906 Oil, canvas. 110110 cm. Belvedere Gallery (Vienna, Austria)
Last years of life. Later works
The works created by Klimt in the period from 1910-1911 to 1917-1918 can be classified as late. They display features that differ from the previous “golden” stage of creativity: the abundance of gilding disappears, and expression appears in the images, a combination of symbolism and expressionism is observed.
Mysterious and insidious seductresses disappear from the canvases. They are replaced by affectionate and gentle women (“The Lady in the Black Hat”). The figures are stretched out, their contours look more rounded. The artist uses a brighter color palette, brush strokes become freer, and small geometric patterns replace floral motifs in the oriental style.
“Mother with Children” is one of the few late works of the master that contains expressionist features.
Mother, child, and baby are all depicted with eyes closed; they seem to be sleeping peacefully. However, in fact, Klimt’s image of sleep was always close to death. This is hinted at and enough dark colors paintings. Although such a choice of colors can also symbolize the plight of the family: poverty, wandering, deprivation.
The painting “Girl” is a unique story of the transformation of a young beauty into a woman. Main character- a young girl. She lies with her eyes dreamily closed and her arms outstretched - innocent and at the same time openly sexy. She is surrounded by half-naked women, more experienced and sophisticated.
The viewer unwittingly becomes a witness to feelings that are just awakening. Klimt depicted a crowd of people, a colorful waterfall of bodies and bright clothes. They merged in bizarre poses, mixed with decorative elements of the background. As always, the bodies are painted realistically, in soft shades of pink, and the fabrics are painted in rough, stylized, bright colors.
The family lived in Moravia, so the master completed the first sketches at a distance. When the sessions began in the studio in Vienna, the girl was allowed to move around the workshop, play with Chinese fabrics, of which there were many around, and throw paper balls out of the window onto the heads of passers-by: she was only nine years old, so she simply could not remain motionless for a long time .
The artist had to create many sketches before choosing the final pose: Meda is standing straight, right hand rests on the hip, gaze directed directly at the viewer. Her figure in a light dress stands out sharply against the background of a plain purple wall.
In 1913, Klimt painted a portrait of Meda's mother, actress Eugenia Primavesi, against a bright yellow floral background.
Shortly before his death, the artist created a series of remarkable portraits (of Baroness Elisabeth Bachofen Echt, Frederica Maria Beer), in which the influence of Japanese art. It seems that the women are painted against the background of a wall hung with tapestries depicting human figures. The dresses also bear the imprint of oriental traditions.
Elisabeth Bachofen Echt is the daughter of wealthy Jewish industrialist August Lederer. The girl’s fragility is balanced by the triangular ornament on the wall, which protects her like a magic cloak.
Frederica Maria Beer is a wealthy heiress and a keen art connoisseur. It is noteworthy that she was the only woman, which was painted by two of the greatest Austrian artists of that era: Gustav Klimt and his student Egon Schiele, who, by the way, was two years ahead of his teacher.
At first glance, the images of Elisabeth Bachofen Echt and Frederica Maria Beer are quite similar in both technique and manner of execution. But in the portrait socialite and the generous patron Frederica Maria Beer, they are already much larger, their swords and spears cross right behind her back. Because of this contrast between the dynamic battle and the cold-blooded calm of the model, a certain tension is felt in the picture. Some researchers of the master’s work are inclined to believe that one of the reasons for creating such a background was the time of painting, which occurred at the height of the First World War.
The culmination of this period was the “Dancer” - a girl with yellow lilies in her hands. According to one version, this is a modified (or rather, reworked) portrait of Riya Munch II, which the girl’s mother did not like. The peculiarity of this picture lies in the incredible number of flowers: they occupy a significant part of the background, crowded into a lush bouquet on the table. In addition, their stylized images are even present on the heroine’s robe: it seems as if it is strewn with blooming flowers.
Despite this, the dancer’s figure does not dissolve in such an abundance of bright colors.
In 1916, Klimt completed work on the painting “Girlfriends”. Unfortunately, it did not survive (it was lost during a fire in 1945). Absolutely without any embarrassment, the artist talks about lesbian love. The heroines are depicted with incredible warmth, which is emphasized by soft tones, delicate fabrics and fairy-tale birds against a calm, monochromatic background. The long neck of the girl in the foreground and her turbaned head give the work a touch of classical grandeur.
Amalia Zuckerkandl is another Klimt heroine, a close relative of the famous journalist and art critic Bertha Zuckerkandl, with whom the artist had friendly relations. Bertha devoted many of her publications in the press to the work of the innovative master.
The portrait of Amalia remained unfinished: only the head and shoulders were completed. But the luxurious ball gown in which she posed was practically not ready. Its magnificence can only be guessed from a preliminary charcoal drawing.
In the painting “Adam and Eve” a seductive woman with radiant white skin appears again. The skin of a predatory beast at her feet symbolically hints at her true essence. Behind Eva is a man. His figure is much darker and he is depicted with his eyes closed. Klimt used a very similar technique, borrowed from ancient painting, in “The Kiss.” The male figure is introduced almost as a background to show all the charms of the true heroine - a woman.
“The Baby” at first glance resembles just a fragment of a painting, and not an independent work. Klimt painted this painting specifically for an exhibition in Stockholm in 1917. The baby depicted on it is like a king. It doesn’t matter that now he is so tiny (only his head is visible, the rest of the space is occupied by a huge patchwork quilt). He is a king, the whole world is at his feet - Klimt deliberately does not place the baby in the center of the picture, but “lifts” him up almost to the very edge.
Blooming cornfield. 1909 Oil, canvas. 110110 cm. Carnegie Museum of Art (Pittsburgh, USA)
Three of the artist's later paintings depict a girl named Riya Munch, the daughter of a wealthy Jewish industrialist. In 1911, at the age of 24, she committed suicide due to unhappy love. Mother, Aranka Munch, commissioned Klimt to paint a portrait of a girl. Of the three options, she liked only the last one, which, alas, remained unfinished. She considered the other two unsuccessful. By the way, it is still not known for certain what the second version of the canvas looked like.
The final version is also interesting in the manner of painting: the artist depicts the girl half-turned, with a mysterious, serene smile on her lips. He envelops the heroine with decorative backgrounds in an oriental style. The face and surrounding details are completed, which cannot be said about the dress.
Aranka Munch died tragically in a concentration camp. The third version of the portrait was in her villa, where it was discovered by Gestapo officers. In 1950, the painting was transferred to the Linz Museum, and in 2009 it was returned to the possession of the Munches, who soon sold it for approximately $253 million.
One of latest paintings Klimt's "Bride" remained unfinished. She is full of secrets and mysteries and has a lot in common with “Virgin”. The blue-clad bride, placed in the center of the canvas, is surrounded by her fantasies, perhaps fears and forebodings. Among the figures on the left side of the canvas, one can discern the face of the groom, surrounded by women (probably with whom he had previously had a relationship).
The understatement of the plot creates some tension and ambiguity in the interpretation of what is happening - this is precisely the strength of this picture. It is noteworthy that its incompleteness gives every reason to believe that initially Klimt painted his heroines naked and only then “dressed” them.
In January 1918, Klimt suffered a stroke and fell into a coma, from which he never emerged. The great Austrian died on February 6 at the age of 55 from pneumonia. Many paintings remained unfinished as he worked on several pieces at the same time.
The great Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed, and with it a huge layer of culture, the symbol of which was the unusually talented and not fully understood Gustav Klimt.
Innovation genius artist Art Nouveau was recognized during his lifetime: in 1917, shortly before his death, he became an honorary member of the Vienna and Munich Academies fine arts. Klimt was considered the “Freud of painting,” “the master of the golden brush,” an undeniably talented, original, vibrant and fascinating artist of his time, whose art has not faded with time, like the gold on his canvases.
Gustav Klimt, Austrian artist, founder of Art Nouveau
Pallas Athena. 1898 Oil, canvas. 7575 cm. Vienna Museum on Karlsplatz (Vienna, Austria) Swamp. 1900 Oil, canvas. 8080 cm. Private collection A group of artists who founded the “Vienna Secession” (Klimt sits on the throne).
Erotica is inextricably linked with art, especially fine art, the means of expression of which are visible, tangible objects - canvas, sculpture, photography. Italian psychologist, philosopher and artist Antonio Meneghetti said: “In creating, the artist experiences moments of his sexuality; the artist, in depicting someone else’s body, is actually depicting his own eroticism.” Man sculpted and painted naked bodies back in the Paleolithic era, ancient era is also full of sculptures praising male and female nudity, and in modern art eroticism has reached its culmination. One of the best representatives high art, who was inspired by eroticism, is the Austrian modernist artist Gustav Klimt, whose paintings top the most prestigious auctions of our day.
Gustav Klimt was one of the largest representatives of Austrian Art Nouveau, as well as the president of " Vienna Secession", elected to this post in 1897 by his like-minded people. Gustav Klimt's father, Ernest Klimt, was an artist - engraver and jeweler, and his mother, Anna Klimt, was raising three sons and four daughters. The future artist was the second son in this large family. His two brothers also later became artists. In 1862, when Gustav was born, Austria was going through difficult times. Otto von Bismarck stood at the head of Prussia, and the task of unifying the German countries was discussed. They did not want to include Austria in this German “family.” Poverty reigned in the country, the political situation was unstable, and in 1866 the Prussian-Austrian War was added to all this. Family Klimt lived in extreme poverty. The future artist's first teacher was his father. In 1876, 14-year-old Gustav entered the Arts and Crafts School at the Austrian Museum of Art and Industry, where he specialized in architectural painting for 7 years. Gustav's teachers were famous Austrian artists Karl Grachovina, Ludwig Minnigerode, Michael Rieser, but Gustav himself considered the painter a model at that time historical genre, a follower of the academicism of Hans Makart. It is curious that Klimt, who received a conservative academic education, goes so far in his work, perfecting himself in a completely different style.
Traces of academic and architectural painting on his canvases are expressed only by monumentality and holistic composition. However, unlike other revolutionary-minded young artists, in those years he did not oppose old-fashioned academicism. In order to earn a living, Gustav and his brother paint portraits from photographs for a meager fee. Through short time more serious customers appear. The Klimt brothers and their friend Franz Matsch begin decorative painting in the courtyard of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, and a year later they begin painting ceilings in one of the palaces in Vienna, as well as in the pavilion of the health complex in Carlsbad. These works helped Gustav gradually find his own style, and already in 1886 he actually separated from his companions, acting as an individual artist and decorator, gaining fame and authority. Decoration Vienna theater Burgtheater is the team's last collaboration, although Klimt subsequently collaborates on separate occasions with Franz Matsch. Gustav Klimt finally moved away from academicism, and the stylistic ideas of his friends were no longer compatible. In 1888, Gustav received an award from Emperor Franz Joseph for his services to art. Golden Cross" In the same year he became an honorary member of the Universities of Munich and Vienna. In 1889, Klimt travels throughout Europe in search of new means of expression. He dreams of creating canvases and becoming successful as a painter. However, due to some circumstances, he has not yet been able to realize his dream. In 1892, Gustav's father and brother die, and responsibility for the family falls on his shoulders. It was necessary to take care of her needs, and he began to take on new orders for decorative painting in order to have a stable income.
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The loss of loved ones left a heavy imprint on inner world artist: as a result of strong experiences, his style became even more original and dramatic. Internal protest was immediately reflected in his works, and it is no coincidence that in 1893 the Austrian Ministry of Culture refused to approve him who had departed from the principles of academicism Klimt as a professor at the Academy of Arts. At this stage of his life, the only joyful event was meeting his future wife - an Austrian fashion designer, the daughter of a major entrepreneur, Emily Flege, whom the artist depicted on his canvases. Although Klimt was never faithful in his married life, and Emily knew about his numerous affairs, they remained inseparable until the end of the artist’s life. The love that united them was much more powerful and constant than Klimt's periodic erotic impulses. In the end, Emily realized that an artist needed all this in order to create and improve. Be that as it may, until 1897, Klimt, as before, was busy painting cultural institutions. He worked not only in Austria, but also in Belgium, Hungary, Holland, the Czech Republic and other European countries.
In 1897 in creative life Klimt begins a new stage, which was marked by a loud revolution. Klimt founds a creative union " Secession" and becomes the first chairman of this organization. Translated from German, Sezession means “separation.” A group of artists led by Klimt, passionate about the spirit and principles of modernism, actually separated from the Vienna Academy of Arts and conservative artistic circles. Soon the organization began publishing its own publication called Ver Sacrum (“ Rite of Spring"). In a very short time, it rallied around itself European artists with modern views who rejected outdated academicism. Ver Sacrum also became the mouthpiece of Austrian Symbolist writers. For artists " Secession"was characterized by a number of stylistic commonalities: multi-colored mosaics, graceful scale, clear contours. Among the followers of this style were Joseph Maria Olbrich, Otto Wagner, Joseph Hoffmann, Karl Moser and others.
Klimt himself had no students; as a follower of his style, one can single out the talented Austrian expressionist artist Egon Schiele. While art circles continued to protest in connection with the appearance of “ Secession", Gustav Klimt, freed from academicism, enjoyed a summer holiday with Emily away from the city, in the lap of nature. He was happy because the moment of fulfilling his dream was approaching - to create canvases and be independent. And it was this summer that Klimt painted his first landscapes.
Unlike the followers of the academic school, the Austrian government treated new artists more favorably. Considering the fact that the organization was affiliated with numerous groups of naturalists, realists and symbolists, whose voice had weight in public circles, the government for the members " Secession» allocated a large plot of land in the city so that the latter could build a gallery for their works. The symbol " Secession"was Pallas Athena - the goddess of wisdom, justice and the arts. Soon the organization begins to hold exhibitions. Klimt also takes part in them with his works. Commissioned by the University of Vienna in 1894, the paintings were to decorate the walls of this educational institution, he completes in 1900.
In 1899, Klimt prepared for Great Hall University of Vienna three decorative panels: "", "" and "". However, these paintings are severely criticized by the public for their explicit content, calling them “erotically obscene”, and the canvas “under pressure from 87 professors is removed from exhibition halls galleries « Secession».
By the way, this particular painting was later awarded a gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris. In all three paintings, Klimt transformed traditional allegories into new symbols, which actually contained overt eroticism... Works Klimt are criticized both by art critics and political and religious circles. He, the founder Secession" seemed to be outside his own organization and all acceptable criteria and boundaries. Naturally, the paintings never took their place inside the walls of the university, and Klimt simply refused to work with customers. In 1945, all three works were destroyed by the Nazis. In 1899, the artist created another scandalous painting - “”.
The naked woman in the painting holds in her hands a mirror of truth, above which is placed famous quote the great German poet Friedrich Schiller: “If you cannot please everyone with your deeds and your art, please few. Being liked by many is evil.” These lines reflect the whole essence of Klimt’s nature. In 1902, for the Secession gallery, Klimt created a fresco based on the composer’s famous Ninth Symphony. The work is exhibited only once during the artist’s lifetime, the second time it becomes available to the public in our days - in 1986.
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The early 1900s are considered the golden period in Klimt's creative activity. It was during these years that his true greatness most fully manifested itself and his best paintings were born. It’s curious, but even critics during this period became more favorable to the artist’s work. Art historians define the “golden period” not only in a figurative sense, but also in a literal one: during these years, Klimt used the golden color in large quantities. The most famous works of this period are "", "", "", "", "", "", " Golden Adele».
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The artist sold the canvas to the Rome Museum of Modern Art, and to the Austrian National Gallery.
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Klimt's feminine ideal changes along with his work. It seems that at the beginning of the artist’s career, he is rather attracted to a generalized ancient image. In his early works, women look like statues, standing in classical poses. The pencil line is continuous and tense. Nevertheless, hidden eroticism is already present in his early works; the artist’s amazing ability to pass everything through his own sensuality will intensify as he moves away from the academic manner. Already at this time drawings appear imbued with eroticism, the lines in them are more nervous, interrupted, as if the artist’s own excitement was immediately reflected on the paper.
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In no other area of his own work does Klimt come so close to himself. In these drawings he is without a mask, without an audience, without collectors. He draws for himself, for himself. The drawing is freed from conventions, restrictions and is subject only to the requirements put forward by its creator. He's genuine. With this drawing Klimt he frees himself from himself. Art is an act of transformation. His drawings are a diary of beauty; they evoke and convey the slight euphoria that he experienced from the presence of a woman or women who excited him and became voluntary and necessary partners in this creative process.
In the created two-figure composition “” (1908), another traditional basis of Gustav Klimt’s work is destroyed: the woman becomes submissive, now the man dominates her. She gives in to the seducer, abandons herself for his sake.
Here all barriers are destroyed and the energy of love will not leak through your fingers. Unsatisfied sexual desires radiate through the light dress that hugs her slender figure. This was enough to mislead the censors, who imposed a taboo on erotic trance and carnal contact. Klimt, who, as if in a mirror, showed the puritanical Viennese bourgeoisie its own hypocrisy, was now rewarded with its delight. In the painting, the artist depicted himself and his beloved, Emilia Flege.
Only and lifelong friend Gustav Klimt- Emilia Flege, was a popular designer.
She ran the first haute couture salon in Vienna. Flege Sisters" She used Klimt's sketches in her collections. They spent the summer together on Lake Attersee in the Alpine foothills. Klimt had no one closer, but his relationship with Emilia, as biographers are convinced, was platonic. In the portrait by Klimt, Emilia is like an outlandish tropical butterfly in the flickering of lilac, lilac, violet.
In the late period of creativity, after the completion of " golden period” and the beginning of the expressionistic stage, Klimt turned to Japanese engraving, allegory and landscape, which allowed him to fully demonstrate his talent.
In the landscapes one can discern the influence of the Impressionists: unsteady contours of brush strokes, light, images cut from above and from the side, and the flat treatment of the surface speaks of the influence of the East characteristic of Art Nouveau. The depiction of nature is mosaic, many of the works look like tapestries.
There is no horizon in them; verticals, horizontals and color spots destroy and rhythmically fill the free space. And yet - there is not even a hint of the presence of people in them. In his paintings, nature is self-sufficient and indifferent to man; it both frightens and attracts Klimt. Just like women."at the World Exhibition in Rome received an award and high praise. Klimt depicts, as in the allegory " Virgo"(1913), human bodies intertwined with each other, floating in world space and personifying the fate of humanity.
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The picture can be interpreted as the main commandment of the Lord - not to let each other down, to each stand in their own area. All people are links in one chain, or more precisely, a network. On the orange layer, humanity appears as orange rings intertwined with each other. And when one ring broke (one of us fell, unable to resist), a gap appeared into which dirt poured onto everyone else. Death motive Klimt depicts in the form of color accents - black, blue, purple colors, symbols that are woven into the flow of people, the image of an aging or ugly body. Also significant is the moment of the attraction of pictorial forms to their immersion in darkness (black space), which indicates the depiction of death through immersion in oblivion, withdrawal into the unmanifested infinity through the renunciation of consciousness. Death is understood by Klimt as a necessary element of the life of the Universe, which allows the Finite to merge into the element of the Infinite. The picture is dominated by a feeling of rock, mystery human life, age of life, relationship between death and love. All this is shown through stylized language filled with allegories and metaphors.
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Klimt attaches a completely different meaning to everything that was implied by the creativity of early decorativism. Luxury, sinuousness, continuity of lines, stylized forms, variety of primary colors - they turned into a bright mosaic of pictures full of intense melancholic charm, a return to the search for the lost Paradise.
During this period, Klimt traveled a lot - visited Italy, Belgium, England, Spain and other countries, discovering new names of artists - Toulouse - Lautrec, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Munch, Matisse... He writes with great joy that modern painting is full of talented personalities. Unfortunately, Klimt left no diaries and spoke almost nothing about his methods and his worldview. His laconic correspondence with Emily has been preserved, as well as the essay “
Gustav Klimt (1862 - 1918) - Austrian artist. Gustav Klimt is one of the most prominent representatives of the Art Nouveau style.
BIOGRAPHY OF GUSTAV KLIMT
Born on the outskirts of Vienna in the family of an artist-engraver. Graduated Vienna School decorative arts. The artist's early works consisted mainly of large frescoes for theaters and were painted in a naturalistic style. In the paintings depicting allegorical figures, executed by Klimt in 1890-1891 on the vaults of the grand staircase of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, the features that became fundamental in his work - a clear silhouette and a penchant for ornamentalism - first appear. After 1898, Gustav Klimt's works took on a more decorative, symbolic aspect.
Gustav Klimt was the leader of the Viennese avant-garde at the turn of the century. Primarily a decorative artist, Klimt led the Viennese community of innovative artists, the Secession, a protest movement against the aesthetic conservatism and moralizing of the previous generation.
Klimt's best paintings are considered to be the artist's later portraits, with their flat, unshaded surfaces, transparent, mosaic-like colors and shapes, and sinuous, ornate lines and patterns.
Klimt's paintings combine two opposing forces; on the one hand, there is a thirst for absolute freedom in the depiction of objects, which leads to a play of ornamental forms. These paintings by the artist are in fact symbolic and should be considered in the context of symbolism as an expression of an unattainable world that stands above time and reality. On the other hand, this is the power of perception of nature and nature, the influence of which softens the pomp of ornamentation in the paintings of Gustav Klimt.
THE WORK OF GUSTAV KLIMT
Among the artist's most delightful works are the panels for the Burgtheater in Vienna (1888), and a series of mosaic frescoes in the Pallas Stoclet, a rich private mansion in Brussels. By the end of his life in 1917, Klimt had won full official recognition, becoming an honorary professor at the Vienna and Munich Academies of Fine Arts.
Painting by Gustav Klimt “The Kiss”. On a flower field, a silhouette of a kissing couple emerges from ornaments and abstract shapes. The color of the painting is dominated by a golden tone interspersed with bright spots of wildflowers and rich patterns of clothing. The erotic character is given to the scene by sensual lines, lush ornamentation and spicy coloring - a symbol of luxury and decadence. This style is often called Art Nouveau. Klimt wrote large number portraits, mainly of women, as well as mythological and allegorical compositions. Sketches of objects applied arts and mosaics by Gustav Klimt were a huge success, but the artist’s wall paintings for the University of Vienna caused a scandal and were considered “pornographic” by art critics of the early twentieth century. Gustav Klimt died in 1918.
Secession (German Sezession, from Latin secessio - departure, separation), the name of associations of artists in Munich, Vienna, Berlin, who rejected academic doctrines and acted as heralds of the Art Nouveau style. The Vienna Secession arose in 1897 and united artists of the Austrian Art Nouveau - "Sezessionsstil" - around the magazine "Ver Sacrum", founded in 1898. The magazine was also the organ of Austrian literary symbolism (Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Rainer Maria Rilke). The association was led by the painter Gustav Klimt. Characteristic Features This style for painting was mosaic multicolor and sophisticated ornamentation, for graphics - geometric clarity of the design with its overall free decorativeness, for architecture - rhythmic orderliness of divisions, laconic decor, rationality of compositional and constructive solutions. The masters of this style (Joseph Maria Olbrich, Otto Wagner, Joseph Hofmann, Karl Moser and other artists) were distinguished by their attraction to straightforward ornamentation, which maintained geometric rigidity even in the most complex combinations. In this regard, the “secession style” is sometimes called the “square style” (Quadratstill).
One hundred thirty-five million dollars was paid at auction in 2006 for “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer,” painted by Gustav Klimt in 1907.
In the opening and closing compositions of the anime series “Elfen Lied” by Mamoru Kanbe, the main characters of the series appear before the viewer in an interpreted form of the most famous paintings by Gustav Klimt: “The Kiss”, “Embrace”, “The Three Ages of a Woman”, “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” , "Water Serpents I", "Water Serpents II", "Danae".
Three Ages of Female Water Snakes 
Danae
Gustav Klimt is a great Austrian artist. He is one of the founders of Austrian Art Nouveau. Born in 1862 in Baumgarten. His father Ernest Klimt was an engraver and jeweler. It was his activities that prompted Gustav back in at a young age to the idea of devoting my life to art. The situation in the country at that time was disastrous; people often did not have work, and therefore the family of the future artist spent time in poverty. Gustav was one of seven children in the Klimt family. It is worth noting that all three of Ernest’s sons became artists.
As already mentioned, Gustav received his first drawing lessons from his father. Then there was an art and craft school. His first works were frescoes for Austrian theaters. He also designed the buildings of the Burgtheater and the Kunsthistorisches Museum. It was at this time that his special style, a special style of painting with a predominance of sensuality, ornamentalism, etc. was born. His works are increasingly overgrown with decorative elements, which gives each work a special meaning, symbolism, and encrypted messages.
The play of ornaments and avant-garde images of nature, landscape, combination various styles- all this made Gustav Klimt one of the most significant avant-garde artists and modernists of world significance. Fame came to him during his lifetime, which happens very rarely with artists, who often receive the highest recognition only after death. In 1897 he became honorary professor at the Vienna and Munich Academy of Fine Arts. Perhaps the most famous painting G. Klimt became the painting “ Kiss". The silhouette of a kissing couple, which is dissolved in a colored mosaic, spots and ornamental patterns, has haunted all art critics for many decades. No less famous is the painting “ Judith«.
Gustav Klimt never married, but various sources attribute to him up to forty illegitimate children. The great avant-garde artist died on February 6, 1918 in Vienna.
Beethoven Frieze, The Suffering of Humanity
Tree of Life
Josef Pembauer Sr.
Medicine
Poster for the first Secession exhibition
