What Is The Meaning Behind The Kiss By Gustav Klimt

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Gustav Klimt's The Kiss is one of my favorite art paintings. Gustav Klimt was a nineteenth century Australian painter that had a very unique and sensual style of drawing (sketching) and painting. He painted many different categories—women, landscapes, trees, and gardens. I think he is well known for his drawings of women. He was a perfectionist and worked early morning until late afternoon. “True relaxation, which would do me a world of good, does not exist for me” (Klimt). Gustav Klimt created The Kiss, one of the most admired paintings in art history.

“Whoever wants to know something about me – as an artist which alone is significant – they should look attentively at my pictures and there seek to recognize what I am and what I want” (Klimt, …show more content…

The light values are a bit of a glowing transition to rich and bright golds to deep and neutral-toned browns. Plus a few bright eye catching orange-toned reds mixed with cool-toned reds.
I love warm-tones, so I am not surprised that I am a fan of this painting by Gustav Klimt. I love the bright and vivid yellows, purples, greens, and blues. Also, I admire the colorful flowers and the symbolic designs of the gowns.
Also, I admire the rich gold colors in the center of the painting. I read that Gustav Klimt was inspired by Gold from a trip to Italy. “The inspiration for his "Golden Phase", which culminated with The Kiss, was presumably provided by a visit to Ravenna during his travels through Italy in 1903, which introduced him to the world of Byzantine mosaics. But Klimt was also influenced by contemporary painters: the abstract, decorative style of the Dutch Symbolist Jan Theodor must be mentioned here, as well as the Belgian Symbolist painter Fernand Khnopff …show more content…

It is the elevated ideal moment of a romantic relationship. It does not pull me in any certain direction; my eyes focus on the entire painting as a whole. The focal point to me is their embrace and body language--which is quite captivating.
I read into the idea that this piece was spiritual and heaven-inspired. I feel like the couple kind of float underneath a halo and I feel like the gold specks in the background can be thought of as spiritual presence. According to austral.info: “The couple seems to have shaken off this last remnant of earthly weight and has been transported into another infinite, almost sacred sphere, reminiscent indeed of the gold background of Byzantine mosaics” (Austria.info). And, this is exactly how I see part of it! Another part, I see this as a romantic embrace of unequivocal love and lust—in a meadow setting.
I love the contrast of the colors-- deep and solid. From left to right, starting at the landscape, I love the purple, yellow and blue combination--which forms a harmonizing triad. The rich green accentuates the purple flower petals and the blue daises. The colors remain quite warm-toned in the piece besides the dark and gritty-neutral

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