Gustav Klimt was one of the key figures in the art scene in Vienna during the 1900s. His works are known for their multiplicity, having both the naturalistic and mannered both inherent in them.
The layered symbolism, allegory, and mythology present in this painting bring out the pathos and humanity of the act of lovemaking and, again, highlight the contradiction and multiplicity of Klimt’s work.
The snobbishness, elitism, and aestheticism mixed with the tangible and sensitive way he captured upper-class women especially, shows the very real relationship he had with his models.
Sexuality, love, and intimacy are popular themes of Klimt’s work and are at the center of this painting’s subject matter. The couple in The Kiss is blended with the background as if they are lost in love.
Brightly colored blocks, circles, spirals, squares, and triangles were laboriously painted in repetition in this composition, emphasizing Klimt’s attention to detail and his obsession with depicting love.
The Kiss as well as The Beethoven Frieze (1902) and The Tree of Life (1905 – 1911), form part of a symbolic study Klimt conducted during his Golden period.
The male form is made dominant by the impressive coat decorated with masculine designs of gray and black blocks. While the feminine is flowing and floral.
From the sky it looks like golden rain is blessing the Earth, symbolizing fertility. This theme of fertility is echoed in the lush meadow the embracing couple is kneeling in.
Klimt uses gold as a symbol of the sacredness of love and sexual union. The use of gold makes these lovers timeless, almost immortal. This expresses the place he finds solace and meaning for our species: love.
The aliveness and energy generated by the couple’s love and desire are symbolized in the swirling patterns and gold and silver leaf application. The painting is full of energy.
In the early 1900s, the Viennese audience saw The Kiss as pornographic. Besides the fact that the couple is fully clothed, this level of sensual intimacy was not commonly depicted in art at the time.
By defying the art academies of the time Klimt created ground-breaking art that influenced artists to become beyond just exploring shocking subject matters.
In this world of yearning for connection and the idealization of monogamous love, the image of The Kiss could nothing but become one of the most reproduced paintings in the world.