This Klimt Notebook represents one of the artist's most famous paintings: ' The Kiss'. The Kiss has enchanted audiences since its completion in 1908. Today, the awe-inspiring piece is housed in Vienna’s esteemed Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, though its illustrious legacy transcends Klimt’s Austrian roots. As member of the Secessionist Movement and a pioneer of Symbolism – a European genre of art characterized by mystical motifs, a personal approach to the visual arts, and an aesthetic similar to the contemporaneous Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts movements – Gustav Klimt took an avant-garde approach to painting. His distinctive style is particularly apparent in The Kiss, which was painted during his luminous “Golden Period”. Works produced during this time feature pronounced planes and delicate detailing made of gold leaf. Inspired by Byzantine mosaics, this gilding gives each piece a glimmering appearance that accentuates the ethereal nature of Klimt’s subject matter and style.
Gustav Klimt was a controversial Austrian symbolist painter during his time. Klimt’s main subject in his work was the female body and the beauty of femininity. Art community heavily criticized his art for being too sensual and erotic. Today, they’ve proven to be some of the most memorable paintings ever to emerge from the Vienna Secession movement.
He furthered and advocated for the Art Nouveau movement (also known as Jugendstil in Germany). Eventually, he remains one of the most talented decorative painters of the 20th century.
Klimt’s “Golden Phase” is quite possibly his most widely recognized period of art. This period emerged following positive reactions to his work and some financial success. The Golden Phase period included a large variety of paintings created with gold leaf in their production. Many of his works during this time, were very popular due to, in part, this utilization of gold with paint.
While Klimt never saw much merit or fame from his work during his life, he has reached immortality in death and has greatly influenced the art community after his passing.
Musart is proud to showcase the work of such a genius pioneer, who was incredibly important to the ongoing conversation of the art community as a whole.
