Water Snakes II (1904-1907)- Gustav Klimt
This movement started in 1897 following the protest of several young artists in Vienna that wanted to break away from the rigidity of the Academic style preponderant in Europe. Gustav Klimt was his most famous and prolific adherent. Their design aesthetic was always looking for freedom and expression. The style is highly decorative, it always experiments with color, graphics, curves and exoticism. At the time it was interpreted as very iconoclastic and decadent. It follows the credo of the Art Nouveau in all manifestations. This search for a new aesthetic produced works of art that are both sumptuous and resplendent. Other members of this group were Koloman Moser in design and Joseph Maria Olbrich in architecture.
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13 comments:
Art Nouveau...one of my favorite periods in art history.
These are beautiful. I love tidbits of art history. It all fits together. History is just a big ol' story about people and the things they do...pretty amazing.
PS Thanks for your kind words about my post today. I don't think I have ever heard of anyone else with that spelling of Mathilda. I,too, lost my mom. It seems like yesterday, but will be 2 years on Friday. I still have spurts of grief. Like you, I feel like an adult orphan some days.
I love Klimt. I was fortunate enough to see some of his work during my first trip to Vienna. It's robust yet delicate, and as you said, exotic.
Thanks for this post!
Another big fan of these works also....I love colour, I live colour. But these works in particular are just sublime.
xxsm
I adore Klimt. So unique and exotic. Have you seen the film starring John Malkovich?
An exceedingly cultured post! And as a big Durer fan, I'm loving the AD Self portrait you posted. The Toledo (yes Ohio!) Museum of Art has a lot of Durer engravings and I get lost in that hall. I could stare at his stuff for HOURS. As for Klimt, different, but equally amazing.
Oh, yes, you have to love Klimt. We have a Klimt (a copy, mind) hanging on one of the walls of our bedroom.
Greetings from London.
I can VIVIDLY recall the first time I saw a Klimt. I lived in London; I was 20. Somehow, it seemed to sum up all of the beauty and sophistication that I was looking for in the world.
Klimt's work is still a very specific, never-really-imitated style.
Hello Pink Cowboy,
I once had a Klimt journal, which I had to set aside so that my daughter wouldn't color all over it. It holds some precious memories of that time. Art Nouveau bursting with gold! <3
Klimt has always been one of my absloute favorites. When I lived in Boston, a million lifetimes ago (read: 25 years) I saw many of these up close at the museum...
apparently most of us are fans here.
I love your very interesting blog!
Klimt is greatly appreciated here in Vienna and a large collection of his works has a home in the beautiful Belvedere Palace in Vienna's Third District. Vienna is also fortunate to have been the home of architect Otto Wagner, whose gorgeous buildings can be found in nearly every district, always lovely, always a surprise.
The architect Joseph Maria Olbrich who you mentioned in your post actually designed a building called "die Secession". It is used for artistic exhibitions and it is probably my favorite building in the whole city. You can read about it here:
The Secession
I love Klimt's "Water Serpent 1" (image here) as well as the second one. Loved the emotion and the beauty that are clearly expressed in the said artwork.
For cowboy stuff, well if you love cowboy arts, seen this sculpture made by D. Michael Thomas.
Ha! I always want more, more MORE of the Viennese.
I have created a link to your blog, many thanks
Hels
http://melbourneblogger.blogspot.com/
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