Death and Life was created by Gustav Klimt in 1908 with oil paint on canvas. This painting features an asymmetrically balanced composition the right side of the painting containing the living has more visual weight than the left with the figure of Death. The Living and Death are captured in two different shapes with various patterns. The figures in the painting are distorted giving them the illusion of motion and expression of human emotions, such as happiness and grief. There are many curvilinear forms in this painting including figures, death and the shapes which separate them. The positive shapes in this painting are Death and the living including the designs that surround them and the negative shapes is dark background. Surrounding the figures are abstracted flowers and other non-objective designs.
I really enjoy this painting because it gives an interesting view of life and death. Life is painted with figures active in bright pastels among flowers. It shows human going through life unaware that death is always close by. Death stands by statically watching the living humorously grinning at them. The figure of death is decorated with a gold cross pattern maybe suggesting this is a Christian view of life and death.
Stacey: This is a fantastic description of the artwork, and a great example from Klimt.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you chose such an interesting painting
to analyze! Issues of life and death are certainly
engaging to talk about in relation to artmaking!
Have you commented on anyone's blog lately????
I love this. Creepy...yes, but still nice lol! I love the technique of the artist. So much depth.
ReplyDeleteomg this a coincidence because i was searching up this image today and your blog popped up! but i really love this image!
ReplyDeleteI see a mother, and then I see a father, and then I see a grandmother, and then I see a child, which from the others I know is dead, and I see it surrounded by angels. It brings tears to my eyes.
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