November Playlist
Magazine 43
This playlist features Klimt's most popular work, The Kiss (1907), a remarkable 72in x 72in (180cm x 180cm), with its powerful presence resounding from the wall as the life-size figures are wrapped in gold. The artwork represents the apex of his "Golden Period," which concludes similar thematic studies during his career, such as The Beethoven Frieze, and The Tree of Life. Each work aids the final comprehension of the allegory, which represents the mystical union of spiritual and erotic love and the merging of the individual with the eternal cosmos.
The Kiss is the final painting of Klimt's Gold Period, during which he incorporated gold leaf into his works. This practice reflects the strong influence of the gold-detailed religious art of the Middle Ages as well as the sacred works created by artists of the Byzantine Empire. As a result, some considered such paintings as "The Kiss" to be sacrilegious.