Gustav Klimt is well remembered for the immense role he played in shaping painting. In particular, the series of paintings he did on University of Vienna’s ceiling in the Great Hall stand out as his best work. These paintings on the ceiling of the university addressed the fields of medicine, philosophy and jurisprudence (Klimt, 23). However, he would later be attacked for pornography allegations in the paintings. Because of this, the paintings were not displayed in the university (Klimt, 34). This paper analyzes the paintings that caused controversy in his life (philosophy, jurisprudence and medicine).
Philosophy
This painting won a gold medal in Paris during the World Exhibition. It was the first to be presented to the Government of Australia in the 7th Secession. Despite winning the prestigious award, Klimt was attacked by his countrymen for allegations that it was a symbol of pornography. Most critics to this picture argue that it portrays women and men drifting in a trance that was aimless (Kokoschka et al. 53).
Medicine
This painting was presented in the year 1901 during the 10th Secession. It featured nude figures to the right side which was a representation of the river of life. Next to this was a female who was nude, floating in space and an infant (newborn) at her feet. He was particularly attacked for this picture because critics argued Vienna was the leader in medical research. The critics went further to argue that this painting had ignored the two main achievements of the doctors: cure and prevention (Jurisprudence, Friendship and the University As Heterogenous Public Space, 39).
Jurisprudence
This painting was laden with anxiety. The picture depicted a condemned man who was surrounded by a sea monster and three female furies (A New Method of Surface Ornamentation: Ludwig Hevesi's Malmosaik in Gustav Klimt's Faculty Paintings, Beethoven Frieze and Stoclet Frieze, 66). The goddesses of Justice, Law and Truth, were in the background (in form of Eumenides). The picture raised controversy as it was seen as being ‘psycho-sexual’.
Works Cited
A New Method of Surface Ornamentation: Ludwig Hevesi's Malmosaik in Gustav Klimt's Faculty Paintings, Beethoven Frieze and Stoclet Frieze. U of Oregon, n.d.. Print.
Jurisprudence, Friendship and the University As Heterogenous Public Space. N.p., 2010. Print.
Klimt, Gustav, and Nicolas Pioch. Klimt, Gustav. Paris: N. Pioch, 1996. Print.
Klimt, Gustav, Colin B. Bailey, and John B. Collins. Gustav Klimt, Modernism in the Making. New York: H.N. Abrams in association with National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, 2001. Print.
Kokoschka, Oskar, Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Tobias G. Natter, and Max Hollein. The Naked Truth: Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka and Other Scandals. München: Prestel, 2005. Print.
