One of the most famous painters of the past is Gustav Klimt, whose paintings are in great demand today. Unfortunately, there are not so many of his works, and all of them have long found their place in the best collections in the world. But when a miracle happens, and his paintings are put up for auction, their value is fabulous.
Gustav Klimt's biography: beginning of beginnings
A man whose name is familiar to every intellectual today was born near the Austrian capital, in the town of Baumgarten. Gustav, who was born July 14, 1862, was the second child in a row. His father was an engraving artist and jeweler, so he gave the first lessons of craftsmanship to all his many children. The family lived poorly, but at the age of fourteen, young talent entered the art and craft school. There Gustav Klimt, whose paintings amaze everyone without exception, studied with such luminaries as Ferdinand Laufberger and Julius Victor Berger. A few years later the younger brother of the artist, Ernst, entered the same institution. Together they painted portraits of noble citizens from photographs and sold six guilders each. Such was their first independent earnings.
The first steps in art
In 1879, the artist Gustav Klimt, his brother and Franz von Mach draw up the courtyard of the Vienna Museum of Art History, after which they receive their first serious order. With the painting of the ceilings of the Stureny Palace (Four Allegories) and the bathhouse in Carlsbad, a special style emerges that will distinguish Gustav Klimt's paintings from the works of other painters. Therefore, a trio of artists stops working together, and they each set off on their own voyage through life.
Search for your own style
The artist Klimt almost immediately received recognition from the demanding public. From the hands of Emperor Franz Joseph, he receives the Golden Cross for services in art after completing work in the Burgtheater. Therefore, you send the master on a trip to the Old World, during which he visits Munich and Venice. This trip gave him a lot of impressions and inspiration for further work.
Having finished painting the front staircase of the metropolitan museum of art history, Gustav departs from the academic manner of drawing. His special manner of performance has already found its finished appearance. In subsequent years, the artist Gustav Klimt, whose paintings every collector wants to have, becomes a member of the Union of Fine Arts. But in 1892 he will suffer heavy losses: first his father dies, and then brother Ernst. In 1894, Klimt, together with long-time partner Franz Match, decorate the University of Vienna, before Gustav worked on the halls of the Hungarian castle Esterházy.
Lifetime recognition
Work on the interiors of the premises, in particular the performance of allegorical images, of the three faculties of Philosophy, Jurisprudence and Medicine, prompted the artist to draw paintings. He founded the Secession in Vienna and became its president, painted his first landscapes, and was fond of expressionism. Gustav Klimt's paintings of that period are distinguished by a love of mosaic, an ornamental image of forms. This is a distinctive feature of the master’s works in the future.
Gustav Klimt, whose paintings were awarded a gold medal at the world exhibition in Paris (canvas "Philosophy"), creates Beethoven frescoes. This work of his, carried out in 1902, was vividly discussed by the public, and Rodin admired it. The master goes on a trip to Italy, becomes popular, they listen to him. In 1908, the artist organized his own exhibition, where he presented sixteen paintings. Two of them were immediately acquired by reputable institutions - the Gallery of Modern Art in Rome and the Austrian State Gallery.
In Paris, which Klimt visited in 1909, he gets acquainted with the work of Toulouse Lautrec, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, Munch, Bonnart. A year later, takes part in the ninth Venice Biennale, writes the painting "Death and Life", which was highly appreciated at the 1911 world exhibition in Rome. After her, the artist again goes on a trip to Europe.
The last years of the life of the great painter
Despite the love of the public, the work of Gustav Klimt was criticized by expressionists. After the death of his mother in 1915, the artist increasingly chooses the dark colors of the palette. He continues to take part in the most prestigious exhibitions in the world, becomes an honorary member of the Academy of Arts of Munich and Vienna, writes masterpieces. The artist dies from a heart attack on February 6, 1918, leaving a large number of unfinished works. After him, other great painters of that time also pass away.
“Kiss” by Gustav Klimt - the most famous painting by the artist
This work is rightfully considered one of the best among the master’s heritage. It was created in 1907 and immediately after the presentation was bought by the Austro-Hungarian government. The emotional, dazzlingly bright “Kiss” by Gustav Klimt is recognized as the most expressive way in the history of twentieth-century painting. What is so special about her?
On the canvas there are different types of patterns: placers of motley flowers, scattering curls, a chess motif from black, white and green rectangles, ribbon arabesques, twisting spirals. The abstraction of fragments of naturalistically interpreted figures, bizarre ornaments looks simply luxurious against a golden background. The couple, who is depicted in the center, hugged and merged in a passionate kiss. Mosaic clothes of lovers only enhance the effect of passions created by the master with the help of decorative details and their deep contrast with naturalistic elements. Very realistically written face of the girl, arms and legs. But parts of the body are surrounded, and in some places completely covered, by planes with an abstract motif that matches the colors on the ground and the texture of the fabric.
The painting has a favorite format of the artist - square. Gustav ignores the horizon and depth of space, pushes reality and current time into the background. Thus, the kiss of a young man and woman in love takes on a universal scale.
Symbolism of the "Kiss"
Gustav Klimt, whose paintings always have a semantic load, and in "Kiss" used symbolism. So, at first glance, the rectangles depicted on the clothes of a man have only decorative meaning. But these are phallic symbols that embody the masculine principle. They merge together with the feminine, encrypted in a motif on the woman’s robe. These are spirals, circles and ovals, which can be considered artistic signs of the female genitalia. This union is harmonious and energetic, gives birth to life and continues it.
The canvas "Kiss" is completely extraordinary and shocking. Like all previous works, it had its fans and fierce opponents. But still, it is precisely it that designates the highest point of the so-called golden period of the artist’s creativity. The painting became the emblem of the Vienna Secession, bewitching with a golden glow, dulled by eroticism (after all, only the hands, feet and faces of the characters appeared open to the eyes), obvious chastity.
Cherchez la femme, or look for a woman
Gustav Klimt's favorite motive was women and their bodies. He loved to paint scenes from mythology, biblical characters, Olympic goddesses, nymphs and ordinary girls who became unearthly. Surrounded by golden light (many works of the genius had just such a chic background), they seemed an ideal of beauty, beautiful and seductive at the same time. As a true artist, he idolized the fair sex, its divine awe, sensuality, mysticism and femininity.
On his canvases he painted naked women and only then dressed their bodies in fabulous precious clothes. The mysterious flickering of precious stones, flowing hair, the glow of silky skin and the finest cobweb of the dress created a temptation, covering the half-naked body.
Fatal ladies of genius
The artist of the turn of the century absorbed all the conflicting opinions of that era. He was looking for a woman who was perfect and contemporary to him and depicted in his paintings. He painted not only real people, such as, for example, Sonya Knips, whose portrait simultaneously expresses lightness, innocence, anxiety and thoughtfulness. Each lady portrayed by Gustav is fatal. In the painting “Love”, the heroine's face froze in sweet ecstasy, but in the background the shadows thicken. After all, a young man and a girl will later expect old age and death. A striking example of such beauties are the following paintings: "The Mermaid", "Golden Fish", both versions of "Judith", "Water Snakes". The work “Three Ages of a Woman”, which depicts a little girl, a woman in the prime of life and beauty, as well as an old woman, is also filled with deep philosophy.
It is interesting that the master was not married, although he had numerous novels. He probably didn’t find his ideal ...