Gustav Klimt Prints
COLLECTION

Birth and Origin - He was an Austrian symbolist painter born in Baumgarten, near Vienna. He was the second born in a family of seven kids, three boys and four girls. Gustav faced financial challenges in his childhood. His father was a gold engraver. His mother Ana Klimt did not meet her full potential of being a musical performer.

Childhood - While his brothers showed some artistic gifts, Gustav was an excellent craftsman. At the age of 14, he took the entrance examination for the Viennese School of Arts and Crafts. He excelled well with a distinction. His aspiration was to become a master artist and teach at the public school he had attended.

Training - His training entailed sketches of other artist’s designs, decorations, and plaster casts of sculptures. Gustav studied contemporary and historical styles. These were largely ignored in Japanese, Chinese, Ancient Egyptian, and Mycenaean arts. He admired the artwork of Hans Makart. Especially his technique of theatricality, pageantry, and his ability to display dramatic lighting effects.

Early work - Gustav Klimt's first job was at Burgtheater Vienna, painting portraits and murals. Together with other modern artists, he founded the Vienna secession. They provided a platform for young artists to showcase their work. Also, they were able to publish their manifesto. In return, they publicized Vienna to other foreign artists. The group used Pallas Athena symbol - the Greek goddess of arts, cause, and wisdom.

Inspiration - Minoan, Egyptian, Classical Greek, and Byzantine styles influence Klimt art prints. Albrecht Durer’s engravings and the Japanese Limpa School inspired him. In the same way, he mentored younger artists such as Egon Schele and Oskar Kokoschka.

Symbolism - He was a symbolic artist whose subject matter was primarily famous female nudes. The image of the “Tree of Life” epitomizes symbolism. The swirling branches reaching for the sky, and the roots beneath depict a connection between heaven and earth. The two women symbolize mother nature presiding over all living things.

Modernism - Klimt used decorative style in his art prints. Differentiating his work with phallic shapes, spirals, and swirls, elegant gold, and bright colors. The kiss print has a large concentration of gold leaf paint to capture a charming scene. The Golden Woman, Adele Bloch-Bauer, was among his favorites with Bloch Bauer wearing gold and silver glitter. Both good exhibitions for his golden phase.

Art Nouveau - The Vienna Secession art movement was an icon of Art Nouveau. Many artists and architects used fashionable styles of decorative art. The French and Belgium Art Nouveau artists gave their fair share of influence on other group members. Encouraging them to embrace this new ornamental design in paintings, sculptures, and architecture. Gustav Klimt framed prints played a huge part in the art movement.

Expressionism - The use of the intense bright colors on Gustav Klimt nudes portrayed Expressionism. His paintings conveyed a message of freedom, pleasure, and sexual liberation.

The Kiss - Gustav Klimt is well known for this painting. It was the core part of the Vienna Secession art movement with the best artworks. The print illustrates two love birds cuddling on the border of a flower field. The kiss painting inspired his art opponents when it was first revealed in 1908. This caused the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere buy it even though it was incomplete.

Abandoned Hope - Hope II shows an expectant woman with naked breasts and an elaborate shawl. She is looking at her stomach displaying a human skull symbolizing either death or danger to her fetus. She seems to be either praying or afraid of the impending danger. With three ladies at her feet bending their heads either praying or grieving the child.

Tannenwald - This is expressed by the fir forest and was the first among many in a series. Klimt positioned the trees on each side of the canvas and leaves a small space at the center. This allows a sense of depth into the portrait.

The Golden Knight - It shows a knight in a glowing golden armor sitting on a horse facing upwards. The knight pays little or no attention to thoughts having its upper side of the head cut. He is aware of how delicate life is and aims at attaining the best in life and its beauty.

The Tree of life - This is one of Klimt’s previous works that show courage and pervasiveness in life. Klimt painting demonstrates various aspects of historic literature that illustrate life and growth. The development of the tree’s branches makes the artwork impressive.

Later art movements - His paintings from the Golden Period did way better than the Art Nouveau era. The structured landscape created as he neared his death anticipated Cubism movement.