The Kiss by Gustav Klimt: Great Art Explained

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The Kiss by Gustav Klimt: Great Art Explained

Gustav Klimt's kiss is the embodiment of tenderness and passion. This bright and colorful love scene of two entwined faces and bodies is kept in the Belvedere Museum in Vienna.

Although clearly extravagant, the canvas covered in gold leaf does not compromise the deeper meaning of the work.

This video invites you to immerse yourself in this erotic, ambiguous and mythical work, and to discover its fascinating meaning.

The context

Klimt painted The Kiss at a critical moment in his career: in the midst of an artistic panic. He had just received scathing reviews for his paintings on the ceiling of the University of Vienna, Philosophy, Medicine and Jurisprudence.

The paintings were described as pornographic and Klimt had reservations about his work and corrupted his reputation.

Moreover, he had just left the Viennese Secession, although he had founded and served as the movement's first president. This group intends to break ties with the Academy of Fine Arts and its conservative values.

The Viennese Secessionists painted "what they shouldn't have painted", refusing to remove sexual elements from their works.

They explored the power of a delicate touch, a hug, a kiss, a moment of violence or an erotic scene. Although Klimt left the movement due to disagreements, he remained its main exponent along with Egon Schiele.

Also, after breaking with the Secession, Klimt organized the exhibition La Kunstschau where he presented The Kiss to the public for the first time. The event drew heavy criticism and ended in financial disaster.

Yet despite this, the exhibition actually launched the astronomical success of The Kiss. The Viennese government bought the work even before the end of the exhibition, because it was considered to be of national interest.

Embellishments

The work presents an embracing couple, hidden behind a large golden coat. This heavy finery protects and envelopes the couple, reiterating the immortality of their love.

Two distinct parts make up the image: the first part representing the man has a repeating black and white geometric pattern, symbolizing his strength, virility and masculinity.

Meanwhile, the second part depicts that of the woman, where Klimt uses flowers and circles to reflect images of femininity and motherhood.

The couple

The man and the woman are the only figures in this work of art where they are represented abandoning themselves to their desires, completely out of time and out of reality.

Initially, the man appears to tower over the woman due to his height, but the woman's foot is exposed under the ornament, suggesting that she is kneeling.

Therefore, if she were to stand tall, she would actually be taller than her male partner and would in turn dominate him.

This embrace could be seen as a self-portrait, where the lovers symbolize the artist and his longtime partner, Emilie Flöge.

However, the female figure could also be another of Klimt's many muses or romantic conquests. While Klimt painted tirelessly, he also tirelessly loved women and had many mistresses throughout his life.

The embrace

Like many of Klimt's works depicting hugs, The Kiss hides the man's face and instead focuses on the woman.

In this work, the expression of the face and the closed eyes of the young woman evoke at the same time feelings of abandonment, ecstasy and delight.

Although the man's position may seem intrusive, the way his hands gently support his face evokes feelings of tenderness and warmth.

The lovers appear in an unbreakable embrace, but although they are entwined in a flowerbed, they are also on the edge of an abyss, threatening to disappear forever.

The golden phase

The Kiss constitutes the apogee of Gustav Klimt's "golden phase", where his father's trade as a goldsmith ignited his taste for the element.

Having become familiar with this craft, Klimt used a layer of powdered gold in The Kiss.

The shiny background acts as a golden cocoon for lovers. Whether for its use of gold, or for its thematic audacity, The Kiss is a captivating and awe-inspiring work for all who have the privilege of seeing it in the flesh.

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Source: Great Art Explained

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