Gustav Klimt

This work of art is part of the art movement known as The Arts And Crafts Movement and also the Art Nouveau style . The Arts and Crafts was an international design movement that flourished between 1860 and 1910, especially in the second half of that period, continuing its influence until the 1930s. It was led by the artist and writer William Morris (1834-1896) during the 1860s, and was inspired by the writings of John Ruskin (1819-1900) and Augustus Pugin (1812-1852). It developed first and most fully in the British Isles, but spread to Europe and North America. It was largely a reaction against the impoverished state of the decorative arts at the time and the conditions in which they were produced. It stood for traditional craftsmanship using simple forms and often applied medieval, romantic or folk styles of decoration. It advocated economic and social reform and has been said to be essentially anti-industrial. Art Nouveau, or the French term for "New Art," is a colorful movement in the arts that captivated Europe during the transition from the 19th century to the 20th century. In other languages, Art Nouveau had other names, such as "Stile Liberty" in Italy and "Jugendstil" or "youth style" in German.

One interesting fact that I learned about this work is that the two figures in the painting are believed to have been Gustav Klimt and his companion Emilie Flöge. A second interesting fact that I learned about this work is that Klimt's use of gold in painting was inspired by a trip he had made to Italy in 1903. Another interesting fact is that The Kiss is a symbol of Vienna Jugendstil or Viennese Art Nouveau--and is considered Klimt's most popular work. What I learned about Gustav Klimt was that he is a very passionate and philosophical person as attributed by his own quote "Whoever wants to know something about me -as an artist, the only notable thing- ought to look carefully at my pictures and try and see in them what I am and what I want to do.".

I chose this work of art because The Kiss seemed like an intricate piece of art that had a deeper meaning behind the image that is shown, it is something that when you draw it for yourself you would then be able to understand. My work is similar to the original art in that it tries to create the same atmosphere in which the original does which is mystery and beauty. However, my drawing is different than the original work of art in that my drawing involved different color choices and color combinations.