Art Criticism
Art Criticism Research Paper Gustav Klimt, The Kiss, Oil and gold leaf on canvas, 1907-1908 The Kiss, painted by Gustav Klimt, is probably his most recognized work. He began working on the painting in 1907. In The Kiss, there is a couple embracing each other. The man is covered in neutral colored rectangles, and the woman is wearing brightly colored circles and flowers in her hair. There are many lines in the image considering all of the rectangles the man is wearing. They are colored in various shades of gold and symbols, while embracing each other with a kiss against a bronze background.
The texture seems rough and varied throughout the piece. The couple is the focal point of the piece, while the rest of the painting shatters into colorful patterns. This hints the idea that Klimt was inspired by Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts Movement. There is not much negative space in the piece. The couple and their patterns dominate the image because it is right in the center of the page. There is not much negative space in the piece, but the man has black rectangles all over his body. This is significant because it depicts the sharpness and boldness of a man in contrast to the woman who wears circular patterns all over her body.
This is where the biggest contrast is. The emphasis is on the couple because of the bold bronze color that the couple is painted in. The contrast to the background helps it pop. The elements communicate a very content mood. The couple seems very passionate and sexual towards one another. The artwork is balanced very well. Every inch of the painting is painted in, and the top and bottom are filled in. There is a sense of depth because of all the contrasting colors. The picture looks very three-dimensional.
The artwork has a rhythm that feels as if the viewer could feel the couple’s passionate movement. Klimt created this piece of art to convey the passionate love a man and woman can share. The picture is very sexual, yet full of heart. The couple seems to be so in effectuated with each other that the real world is no longer present. If I were the woman in the picture I would be thinking about how loved I am. The theme is that women and men share a kind of love that no one else can comprehend. The title for this piece is very appropriate, and I would not change it even if I could.
The kiss is an extremely simple title that does a good job explaining the artwork, yet leaving room for the viewer to imagine for themselves. When I first looked at the artwork, I thought that it was just a couple kissing, but as I kept examining it I realized how much more it is. I enjoyed examining this piece of work a lot. I felt that it was very much worth my time because the artist used a very sophisticated kind of technique to portray his message. I think it is a very respectable piece because of its simplicity yet the complex message it portrays.
