Gustav Klimt (1862 - 1918)
The Kiss (1907)
The Tree of Life (1905)
July 14th 1862: Gustav Klimt born
On this day in 1862, the Austrian artist Gustav Klimt was born in Baumgarten. Raised in poverty, the young artist entered art school in Vienna when he was fourteen years old. Klimt was successful in his studies and his highly symbolic art quickly received attention, leading to his earning commissions for theatres and churches. In 1897 he founded the Secession Movement, which intended to promote the work of young artists and introduce alternative art forms to Austria. His work was well received, even being presented at the Paris World Fair. However, his erotic art drew disdain from his contemporaries who criticised its graphic depiction of the human form. Klimt fought such censorship of his work, and his ‘golden phase’ produced masterpieces like The Kiss (1907) and The Tree of Life (1905), which were widely praised. During this time, Klimt employed the distinctive gold leaf in his art, which was not an accident, as Klimt’s father was a gold engraver. Klimt died from pneumonia in 1918, and his art has become increasingly appreciated since his death, often fetching record-breaking prices at auction.
“Enough of censorship. I want to break free“
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