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The Kiss

Gustav Klimt · 1907–1908

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CULTUREPICK · MASTERWORK MAGNIFIER

The Kiss

The Kiss (Der Kuss)

Gustav Klimt · 1907–1908
Collection Belvedere Museum · Vienna
Original 7,376 × 7,401px

Why does the love depicted in this painting still feel so intense after 100 years?

Key Points

The mysterious symbols hidden within this painting of love
The magic of light created by Klimt's golden technique
Why do the man and woman in this painting lean so close together?
1908: Klimt's painting of a mysterious moment of love

Reading the Work

What's Depicted

Klimt depicted a man and a woman gazing into each other's faces as they kiss. They are clothed, but their bodies are almost entirely wrapped around one another. The man's arm wraps around the woman's shoulder, while the woman's arm wraps around the man's neck. Their bodies lean toward each other. Their eyes gaze into one another's, and their lips are close enough to nearly touch.

Into the Painting

Klimt used a great deal of gold in this painting. His painting gives the impression that light itself is glimmering. Intricate patterns fill the painting. Various patterns are drawn on the man's clothing and the woman's clothing. There is an effect of shimmering light around their bodies. The painting contains many hidden symbols.

Why It's a Masterpiece

With this painting, Klimt expressed love, sexuality, and mystery. His painting conveyed emotion through light, color, and pattern. This painting clearly demonstrates Klimt's style. It holds an important place in art history.

Commentary source: Smarthistory · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Image: Public domain · Original on Wikimedia Commons
Viewer: OpenSeadragon (BSD)

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