#3

Gustav Klimt
Death and Life
1910/15

Gustav Klimt’s “Death and Life” is oil on canvas. It’s a large 2D painting made in 1910/15. The piece illustrates the cycle of life. The figure on the right represents Death. He menacingly gazes at the group of figures on the left. The colors of Death are dark, analogous blues and purples, which fill in Klimt’s very recognizable pattern. The shape of Death itself is organic. The figure is alone, but is almost as tall as the figure representing life. The pattern is full of crosses, likely referencing religion. Death holds a club, rather than a scythe in this image. The colors in the skull have strokes of complementary blues and yellows. Its expression is unnerving and eager. The figures on the left are overlapped, sleeping, and seemingly unaware or without care of Death. Each figure represents different age groups, from infant to elder. The colors of the pattern are bright, hopeful, pastel. Almost like a field of endless flowers. The shapes building up the pattern are all organic triangles, squares, circles, and rectangles. A couple flowers are also present. The overlapping of the human shapes resonates a feeling of growth and unity. Curiously, the background was originally golden, but Klimt had decided to change it into the dark tone it now has. In the background, Klimt plays with value, starting light on the edges and ending in darkness where the two representations meet. My favorite part of this painting is the young woman who seems to stare death right in the eyes, almost admiringly. Although Death doesn’t have a clear line of sight, you can say he is also looking at the young woman. This would present a clever allegory to the never-ending romance between life and death. Both sides hate each other in a way, but cannot be complete without one another.