Gustav Klimt

In Klimt's enigmatic allegory "The Bride" (1917/18, unfinished), three distinct main elements stand out clearly. In the center, the sleeping, maidenly figure of the bride is shown, standing upright. To her left, a colorful tangle of voluptuous female figures, suspended in an indeterminate state, overlapping a man in a long robe. In the right section of the picture, the mysterious image of a floating female figure with bent knees is depicted, appearing to be dancing. This late masterpiece is associated with an extensive group of nude drawings that exhibit a wide range of female types, body positions, and erotic moods (Strobl, Vol. III, Nos. 2793-3093, 3094-3105 (sketchbook); Vol. IV, Nos. 3731-3741). The present work was created in the context of the left-hand side of the picture, dedicated to female temptations, which is dominated by a rounded body type. But while the women huddled together there are surrounded by colorful cloths that release a whole series of blissfully dreamy or seductively gazing faces and sensual body fragments, Klimt in his drawings concentrates on the whole or partially observed figure. In order to capture the full body shapes of his models optimally, he had them pose in complicated, winding positions. In this activity, Klimt used his unique drawing skills to get to the bottom of the nature of his figures and internalize their symbolism, as the present work aptly demonstrates. Thus, the slightly slanting model on the far right seems to emerge from nowhere and to float weightlessly past us. Characteristic of Klimt's late drawing style is the extreme contrast between the sharp, wavy contour of the twisted upper body and the wild lines of the crumpled cloth, which partly covers the bare skin and also caresses the face. The latter impresses with the mysterious facial expression of the closed eyes and the ecstatically smiling mouth, which, like the contours of the outstretched upper arm, is enlivened by dark accentuating lines. The fact that Klimt focuses on an intimate detail such as the armpit testifies to his special eye for the seemingly insignificant. Taken by itself, this impressive late work presents itself as the epitome of a self-sufficient, blissfully self-contained sensuality.

original german text by Marian Bisanz-Prakken