It was perfectly normal for Gustav Klimt to work in his study the whole day, without taking any break. It was in the year 1907 that he began work on one of the most famous pictures in the history of art-“The Kiss.” Österreichische Galerie Belvedere museum in the Belvedere, Vienna displays the painting, which is considered a masterpiece of the early modern period (Der Kuss 1908 2016). The theme of the artwork was two lovers united through a kiss. Many people wonder about the identity of the woman portrayed in “The Kiss” (Gustav Klimt -The Kiss2016). The artwork is characterized by highly stylized designs made of motifs. He is looked upon as the one of the most well-known Art Nouveau artistsFormal art criticism Elements such as repetition, rhythm, harmony and variety help the artist to create his artwork. A viewer can like or dislike an artwork based on those principles, but need not understand them completely. In the painting, Klimt makes use of repetition to create a pattern that adds a visual richness to the art and defines an area. For example, he creates a bright abstract print in the dress of the woman and repeats those oval motifs on a background of parallel wavy lines. Likewise, the man wears a long yellow robe that is covered with an abstract print in black and white rectangles. Some of the white rectangles are bordered with black outline while the black rectangles are bordered with white outline. The halo surrounding the couple is covered with repeated motifs of fine concentric circular patterns. The carpets of flowers repeat the pink, blue and yellow flowers on the grass. His regular repetition of motifs and planned patterns to emphasize different areas of the artwork. However, there is no set pattern in the design elements, and they are done randomly. The swirls and circles in warm colors are create a harmonious whole.The way the couple cling on to each other create a sense of rhythm. Klimt makes use of smooth and curved lines and smooth brush strokes; He applies texture in the artwork with the beautiful decoration of the background is flecked with gold leaf. He differentiates the sky from the carpet to flower with the help of texture. Only the face, hands and feet in “The Kiss” are realistic, and rest is highly stylized. Klimt was very much influenced mosaic and learned mosaic techniques and fresco. One can see those influences in “The Kiss.” The work is done in conventional oil paint and applied in layers. The elaborate robes decorating the entwined bodies of the couple reflect the linear constructs of the contemporary Art Nouveau style (Der Kuss 1908 2016). The floral and circular patterns on the woman’s dress convey femininity while the rectangular forms on the man’s robe evoke masculinity (Gustav Klimt 2016).Contextual theories “The Kiss” makes use of a richness of symbols and luxurious techniques to illustrate a magical world. It is a blend of a very modern style of art with the older. Klimt was adept at mixing mythology with history as during his time historical art themes were highly popular amongst high society. The floral crown on the head of the man relates to use of the myths (Moffat 2000). “The Kiss” was painted when Klimt’s career was on a downside, and he was criticized for his three-part Vienna Ceiling series for a perverted excess and nudity in the work (Peitcheva 2015). The works had type cast the artist and lower his popularity. Yet, "The Kiss" is considered a masterpiece of the early Modern period. Gustav is remembered as one of the finest decorative painters of the twentieth century and created significant bodies of erotic art. His brush with modern trends led him to develop his own eclectic style (Gustav Klimt 2016). Later he was influenced by Art Nouveau, and his approach was inspired by the ethereal atmosphere created by other artists and the Impressionist technique. He was influenced by motifs from Byzantine, Egyptian and Greek art and the Impressionist technique (Gustav Klimt 2016). His art is very famous and recognized today, but faced opposition during his times because of the indirect approach to symbolism. His work was considered a modern at the time and was a fusion of both the decorative and extravagant Art Nouveau. He was clearly an artist ahead of his time and “The Kiss” is considered to be the ultimate of his "golden phase", during which he used gold leaf in his paintings. During that time, historical art themes were popular and although this denied artistic expression, it wasn’t a problem for Klimt who was skilled in mixing history and mythology to please his clients.
Expressive theories “The Kiss” is considered to be one of the most popular work of the artist and his celebration of sexual love. The painting is considered the masterpiece of the artist's "Golden Period," (Gustav Klimt 2016). Both figures in the painting seem to be engulfed by each other and are entirely absorbed into one another. This is a typical way of the artist’s portrayal of a female in a tender and delicate way and femme fatales. Here, the woman is the object of desire. The couple is locked in a deep intimacy, and the rest of the painting dissolves into extravagant patterning. The visual manifestations convey opulent and sensuous images (Der Kuss 1908 2016). The flowery meadow, the starry background and the golden halo around the couple send a message that they are happy in their own bliss. The couple in “The Kiss” are oblivious to their surroundings and have been transported into another infinite space. It is considered to be the most popular celebration of sexual love where both bodies get engulfed by the emotions. The fused body emphasize their unity and the entwined couples and their sumptuousness plus the use of gold in the highly decorated work shows an opulent decadence about them. The painter loved to draw hands and has used them expressively in the paintings. Klimt depicts the lovers in an intense embrace and immortalizes the flesh as if the lovers were figures in myth.
Conclusion “The Kiss” by Klimt is undoubtedly one of his most famous works. The work in oil with smeared gold leaf layer carries an unusually modern, yet a suggestive appearance. Klimt painted the artwork when he was surrounded by criticism. His use of use of abstract, decorative style shows his influence by contemporary painters. The artwork displays both natural and the artificial in the highest decorative possibilities that were a typical preoccupation of that era. The golden envelope surrounding the couple, the carpet of flowers, the dress and robes worn by the couple and the background, show the different elements applied by Klimt in the painting. Art Nouveau style of art employed ornamental and stylized, curvilinear forms and is associated with popular artists including Gustav Klimt.
Works Cited
"Der Kuss 1908." klimt. 2016. Web. 24 March. 2016.
“Gustav Klimt -The Kiss.” austria.info. 2016. Web. 24 March. 2016.
"Gustav Klimt." theartstory. 2016. Web. 24 March. 2016.
Moffat, Charles." Gustav Klimt The Art History Archive – Symbolism.” Arthistoryarchive . 2000. Web. 28 March. 2016.
