The Tree of Life (1909) by Gustav Klimt Gustav Klimt, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons The yearning look of the woman standing on her own can represent the yearning people have to find love. It is significant in this painting as it indicates the unity created through love. The Tree of Life is one of the few paintings in Klimt’s career that depicts that masculine and feminine forms. Klimt, therefore, explores here the birth, life, and death cycle of human experience. The Tree of Life signifies the connection between heaven and Earth but also speaks to the cycle of life. The subject matter of the painting is captured in the title. This sets the painting apart from The Kiss and other paintings of his Golden era, as it is the only landscape painting Klimt created during this phase of his career. There is a tree in the middle composition and its elaborate branches fill the background of the scene. The painting continues themes of love, desire, union, and intimacy Klimt explored in The Kiss. The lovers mirror the famous couple in The Kiss painting by Gustav Klimt, created parallel to the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life (1910-1911) by Gustav Klimt, forming the central component of the Stoclet Frieze Gustav Klimt, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Her body is turned away from the lovers, but her upper body is fully turned towards them- her interest keenly fixed on the intimate scene. The intricate painting depicts a woman on the left side looking over her shoulder at a couple embracing on the far-right side of the painting. The Tree of Life painting shows the famous symbol used in theology, philosophy, myth, and literature. The outrage at his “blasphemous” and “pornographic” work led other artists to break the stale boundaries of the art academy even further and helped usher in a brand-new era of art history.įormal Analysis: A Compositional Overview His art caused controversy, at exactly the right moment for him (and the world). View of the Stoclet Frieze on the walls of the dining room at the Stoclet Palace, 1914 MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commonsīefore, this was simply not done. It was just after the turn of the century and all that kept the city (and country) from erupting into violence at that time was the rich cultural scene that created a patriotic spirit in Vienna.ĭuring these last convulsions of the Belle Époque, Klimt forged a new style of painting that openly addressed sexuality and desire. Socio-Historical Context of Tree of Life by Gustav KlimtĪt the time the Tree of Life painting was created, Vienna, Austria (Gustav Klimt’s lifelong home) was fraught with tension between conservative opinions and modern liberal views. The painting is a study for a series of mosaics called the Stoclet Frieze. Let us do an in-depth analysis of this stunning artwork. The painting also caused a lot of controversy at the time it was shown to the world for the first time. It captures the artist’s unique style of vibrant colors, patterns, decorative shapes, and symbolic meaning. The Tree of Life is one of Gustav Klimt’s most important and impactful paintings. Looking at The Tree of Life (1909) by Gustav Klimt When he started incorporating the inspirations from his travels, early life with his gold-carver father, and his first independent studio days with his meal-worker brother into the style now called the “Golden Period”, Klimt immortalized himself in the history of art. Klimt became obsessed with love and death in his work, and even though he was a closed-off man, his art started showing a deep-thinking and feeling man beneath the famously promiscuous artist. But after the death of his family members, Klimt became more interested in developing a unique style that would also establish Austria as a cultural center of art. Photographic portrait of artist Gustav Klimt in 1914 Josef Anton Trčka, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsĪfter completing his studies, he painted in the popular and traditional naturalistic painting style. He received a scholarship for this training because he already showed a lot of talent before the age of fourteen. Before this point in his career, Klimt had gotten training at the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts. Symbolism, Art Nouveau, Vienna Secession movementĪfter tragedy struck the Viennese artist Gustav Klimt when his father and younger brother died in the same year (1892), his life and art changed forever.
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