The Kiss Cultural Frame

Cultural Frame
The Kiss, which is 180cm x 180 cm, was created in 1907 by Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt, who is remembered as one of the greatest decorative painters of 20th century and produced the most significant bodies of erotic art, especially about female figure, that evoke love, passion and beauty. The artwork belonged to the movement of Art Nouveau, and was produced using oil on canvas. This painting can be considered to be Klimt’s most renowned artwork which simple portrait of lust and love, during the artist’s Golden phase, when was characterized by the use of gold leaf.
The Kiss is a simple portrayal of lust and love using glittery gold leaf, which depicts a couple hugged in intimacy. The man is bent over the woman, who clasps the man tightly and awaits his kiss, seems to be absorbed by the man. The man wears a robe with black and white rectangles irregularly placed by gold leaf. He wears a crown of vines while the woman is shown in a tight-fitting dress with flower-like patterns with parallel flowing lines. The enormous golden robe has surrounded the couple, both figures are engulfed by the body of gold. It ends at the bare feet of the female, whose toes are sharply bent and firmly dug into the field full of vivid ornamental flowers.  
Klimt was one of the most prominent exponents of Art Nouveau, a movement based on decoration, which spread throughout Europe in the late 19th century. This movement was aimed at modernizing design, seeking to escape the eclectic historical styles that had previously been popular. Considering at that time, the academic system or Art education, constructed the belief that media such as painting and sculpture were superior to crafts such as gold-artisan.
Therefore, The Kiss is composed of oil paint with applied layers of gold leaves on the canvas, characterized by golden and organic geometric patterns, natural form with angular contours, depicting dominant women in erotic position. It reflects his fascination with...