The Bride (unfinished)

This allegory is the last work in Klimt’s creative period and when he died it remained unfinished on the easel in his studio in Hietzing, together with the painting Lady with a Fan. The fragmentary composition, which was first owned by Emilie Flöge, betrays early Expressionist and oriental influences. In a unique occurrence the artist’s last sketchbook has survived, with more than ten known and unexecuted works in the time span from 22nd June 1917 to 2nd January 1918 as well as more than 40 sketches for this painting; early preliminary sketches exist from 1915/16.While the writhing figures in earlier allegories are still surrounded by a dark background, here the viewer looks straight into a dense composition that fills the frame. Six women, a sleeping baby and a man in orange garment with a monastic hairstyle tower behind a female nude back with a hitched-up dress. On the right we see a female nude with spread legs, whose lower body is covered by a decorative skirt, her pudenda still visible. Her head, tilted towards the right edge of the painting, is not executed. Another female face emerges under her arm, which extends towards the center of the painting. The bride herself serves as the connecting central figure, her oval face tilted to the right; with closed eyes and two long plaits she dreams of her longings and desires. Her whole body is submerged in the abstract blue silhouette of an unfinished dress.