Gustav Klimt, Woman in Gold, 1907
Dear class. Plenty to talk about:
Josef Hoffmann's Stoclet Palace, Marcelo Dudovich's poster for Campari, the Viennese Secession, and Peter Behrens' work. Gustav Klimt (his Secession poster and now destroyed fresco), the Wiener Werkstätte (and last but not least, my manifesto).
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A piece that I specifically enjoyed was Josef Hoffmann's Stoclet Palace, an inspirational and impressive piece of architecture that continues to be known as one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century. Designed between 1905 and 1911 for Adolphe Stoclet, a wealthy belgium banker in Brussels, Belgium. It observes early modernist principles, such as geometric forms, clean lines, and a rejection of excessive ornamentation. Josef Hoffman collaborated with Gustav Klimt and Koloman Moser, which created a holistic masterpiece of luxurious interiors and a marble-clad façade. The interiors have elegant, handcrafted furniture with gold leaf detailing, as well as elaborate mosaics that blend its early modernism with Art Nouveau. The dining room is one of the main masterpieces of the house, which showcases his signature golden motifs and allegorical figures. Unfortunately, the residence is still closed to the public, however it has recently became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.
I’ve been intrigued by Gustav Klimt’s work for quite some time now, particularly his iconic pieces such as “The Kiss” and “Death and Life,” which I’ve always admired for their decorative and mysterious beauty. I was surprised to learn last week just how controversial Klimt was to society at the time. A vast majority of his work, particularly his portrait and allegorical pieces were harshly criticized for their eroticism and nudity, which was an uncommon motif at the time, where modesty in art was expected. What fascinates me is how Klimt’s depiction of the human form, unrealistic and almost alien-like, could still provoke such a strong reaction from the public. His use of gold detailings and decorative patterns challenged conventional aesthetics in ways that were both bold and provocative. Despite this abstract and dreamlike representation of Klimt’s work, the emotional and physical intensity of his pieces still managed to disturb audiences.
Mason Rape.
Expressionism explores themes of insanity, chaos, death, and fear while constructing a dreamlike reality through distorted and exaggerated set design. F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu is a crucial example of German Expressionism, using stylized visuals to convey deep psychological and emotional states. As a silent film, Nosferatu relies entirely on atmosphere, shadow, and ominous lighting to create fear and tension, making its visual storytelling incredibly powerful. The film’s influence extended far beyond Germany, shaping the visual language of British and American cinema, including films like Psycho, Downhill, and Citizen Kane. Directors like Orson Welles adopted Expressionism’s use of deep shadows and exaggerated perspectives to heighten emotion and drama. As a fan of Tim Burton, I especially appreciate how this movement influenced his signature style, where surreal landscapes and gothic, exaggerated visuals create a world that feels both fantastical and unsettling. A direct reference to Nosferatu appears in Batman Returns, where Penguin’s shadow is cast dramatically against the sewer wall, paying homage to Murnau’s haunting imagery. The lasting impact of Expressionism proves that its unique visual language continues to inspire filmmakers, shaping the way we experience psychological horror and dark fantasy in cinema.
F.W. Murnau’s 1922 film Nosferatu is a prime example of German expressionism, using exaggerated portrayals of visuals to convey emotion rather than realistic ones. I feel like this film’s use of expressionism was also a great demonstration of how vital the architectural aspect of set design was to silent cinematic storytelling. It utilized spaces to invoke feelings of uneasiness through Gothic arches and the creation of shadows. Jagged rooftops and interiors that appear like caves imply a fearful nature. This concept of set design architecture being a reflection of the mind is also noted in American cinema. In Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, the creepy Victorian-era Bates house symbolizes Norman Bates’s psychological instability. In Orsen Welles’s The Lady from Shanghai, a scene depicting a hall of mirrors whose reflections distort reality also enhances the viewer’s perception of psychological tension.
By using expressionism and architecture together as a tool to control emotion, Nosferatu made way for films that consider the importance of using built environments and other visuals to influence the narrative tone of these stories. Spaces in these instances became cues to themes of fear, madness, and isolation. This method even continues in modern-day horror movies, with directors using architecture to structure central themes. Such an instance is true in The Shining’s Overlook Hotel, which Stanley Kubrick depicts as a maze-like collection of rooms that characterizes the architecture itself with antagonistic tendencies. In Robert Eggers’s The Witch, an isolated house emits feelings of claustrophobia, reinforcing character vulnerability to evil forces. The architecture of set design is powerful, as it dictates the emotion, depth, and viewer understanding of complex themes completely visually.
Peter Behren was known for his industrial design and architectural structures. However, before this he was an illustrator and painter, even dabbling in other mediums. One of his more famous artworks being "The Kiss", a gorgeous woodcut, he depicts two women kissing with free forming lines and softer/natural colors. I find this woodcut so captivating as it is very contrasting to Behren's architectural work, like the Turbine Factory.
Since Behren is known for his industrial work, I was very curious to how he went from such whimsical artistic designs to strict, geometric buildings. However, after further research it seemed he didn't make a complete switch from soft art to harsh architecture, but rather combined the too. Behren was influenced by the arts and crafts movement and saw a need for fine craftsmanship in the functional realm of industrial architecture. This is why in AEG's Turbine Factory, he designed it to have a logo visible on the building to combine artistic design was such industrial functionality.
Behren inspires me, as an architecture student, to continue my practices in the fine arts as his background in illustration and painting seemed to heavily contribute to his architectural success.
I've always been a fan of Klimt, especially his work titled The Kiss (1908). This piece is interesting to me because of the underlying story within it. The vines wrapped around the woman's ankles suggest that she may be forced into the relationship. Her head, turned away from the man's face, also indicates that she may be uncomfortable with what’s going on. I specifically like this piece because the title suggests that it is an act of love, when in reality, I believe it's not quite as it seems. All of Klimt's Gold Period works are fascinating and masterful, which is why this is one of my favorite art periods by any artist.
Gustav Klimt’s legacy reflects the chilling ability of a government to influence people’s perceptions of society through content moderation. His early works done in a conventional, academic style were marked by government celebration and support. Upon the untimely death of his brother and father, Klimt became aware of his government’s inattention to political and social problems and rebelled through his transition to a more controversial style. An early attempt of content moderation was the censorship of Klimt’s poster for the secessionist exhibition. The government continued to reduce their support of Klimt’s work, and their agenda extended to the University of Vienna’s rejection of Medicine, Jurisprudence, and Philosophy. His controversial interpretation of the faculties focused on limitations rather than celebrating Vienna’s successes and, as one of his inspirations, aligned with Freud’s emphasis on conventionally unattractive driving forces of behavior: death, anxiety, and sex. Such themes threatened the image that the government and institutions wished to convey, and their refusal to highlight these pieces represented their effort to silence him. Nevertheless, Klimt responded to the criticisms with increased radical expression seen in The Goldfish, and his efforts guided the movement towards a more progressive society. Today, Klimt’s pieces ironically attract some of the highest bids and consistent application of Freud’s theories in academic journals exhibit the extent to which society has accepted the once controversial themes. Despite Klimt’s success however, content moderation in modern forms remains a tool for the government to promote a carefully constructed image, shielding the public from critical issues. We pride ourselves on acknowledging the detrimental effect that the Vienna government once had on Klimt’s voice yet fail to recognize how it mirrors our own ignorance.
Regarding your manifesto, I find the rejection of photoshop and digital art in the modern age interesting. As digital manipulation becomes more advanced, there is increasing skepticism about the truthfulness of images, especially in journalism, social media, and advertising. its udnerstandbable the pushback against such digital tools, as the raw, unfilitered content of hand drawn or and manual work allows for all the personality, mistakes, and expression to shine through in ways digital art simply cant replicate; yet personally I fele digital art has its own meirt in regards to personal expression; the use of paneling, filters, layering, and the method a creator uses their digital tools in my personal opnioin can match the expression and creativity of non digitalo art. Digital art isnty at iuts best when its enhancing an art that could have been completed phsyically, but when it creates art that could never have been done int he real world.
I found the painting by Gustav Klimt to be extraordinary. I get a bizarre feeling from looking at some of the figures in his paintings, that I just love. They have sense of surrealism to them that I am a fan of. And I really enjoy how his subjects and people in his paintings interact with the background and foreground of his drawings. I think he also does an amazing job with facial expressions in his pieces that really can catch your eye and provide emotion in his pieces. Of his works shown in class I was most draw to Medicine, the woman in the front is already beautiful by herself, then you just have so much going on in the background, bodies entangled and leading up to the right upper corner.
Something I found interesting from last class was the Bauhaus Manifesto and the quote from Walter Gropius attached. This manifesto was very impactful because it was trying to change how art and design could function in society. It called for there to be no distinction between artists and craftsmen, in a time when artists were usually considered to be more gifted than craftsmen. I went on to read the full manifesto from Walter Gropius, who dreamed of a world where artists and craftsmen would work side by side to build something greater than themselves: a "new building of the future" where architecture, painting, sculpture, and design would all merge into a single, unified vision. This idea not only shaped the philosophy of the Bauhaus school but also became a foundation for modern design, architecture, and how we think about the relationship between function and beauty today.
I really love Gustav Klimt’s artwork because it feels both romantic and mysterious at the same time. What interests me the most is how he mixes gold and patterns to create this magical environment, particularly in pieces like The Goldfish. After doing some research, I learned that he became famous above all as a "painter of women." He painted around one large portrait of a woman per year, using Art Nouveau elements such as flatness, decoration, and gold leaf application. Just from the 4 paintings you showed us, his artwork always has many different scenes. Theres a lot of different colors and shapes. The artwork feels like you're looking into a dream because everything mixes together really well.
One of the pieces that we looked at in class that spoke to me was Gustav Klimt’s Secession poster. The poster has a bold feeling to it and to me if feels like it’s much more than an advertisement for an art exhibition. The image of the man fighting the Minotaur seems to me like the artists of succession fighting the traditional standards of art and conservative norms. The gold patterns caught my eye and brought me in to take a deeper look into the poster. They create a feeling of something if more modern in that time period and also mystical. In my opinion the poster not only acts as an advertisement but also captures the energy and drive of the movement to change things.
Davis E. Gall.
I was most drawn to the painting Cottage in the Woods by Alexej von Jawlensky. It was painted in 1903 and shows a small house with one large tree in front of it. The colors are mostly cool blues and greens which gives the whole painting a calm and quiet feeling. Everything blends together and there are no strong outlines, so the house is hard to notice at first in the background. The paint is drawn in thick visible strokes which adds a unique texture. I really like how simple the scene is. Around this time, Alexej von Jawlensky was influenced by artists like Van Gogh and was starting to experiment with expressionism. He focused less on painting things realistically and more on using color and brushwork to create a certain mood. Jawlensky was part of the Der Blaue Reiter group, a circle of artists who focused on expressing emotion through bold colors and abstract forms.
Steven Constantopes
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