Historicism and Early Symbolism in Klimt's Works (1882–92)

The basic elements of the final composition are already present in the draft sketch. The man enthroned above is at the highest level of the animal kingdom. The female figures sitting at his feet symbolize the kingdoms of plants and minerals.

The pseudo-architectural frame of the scene, connected with a slight view from below, is characteristic of historicism. Here, Klimt differentiates between the man's flesh tones painted in gray and the bright skin of the women.

Klimt would continue to employ this contrasting effect in his depictions of male and female pairs.

Light and shadow are conveyed through powerful parallel hatching and white highlights.

One of the highlights of these drawings is the study for the apparently dead Juliet. The contrast between her dark-black, tangled hair and the ethereal pallor of her subtly outlined face is especially refined.

A young girl served as the model, whose address is noted down by Klimt on the left-hand side of the sheet.

Klimt also effectively contrasted the pale skin with the dark hair in the study for the dead Romeo.

His white, open shirt collar sets a particular accent.

Klimt and Matsch studied the interior and theater scenes at the original location. For this purpose, they each received a permanent pass, which let them attend all performances and observe the interior as well as the visitors in detail.

Klimt drew several groups of figures. He tried to break up the monotony of the arranged portraits with the greatest possible variety of postures and light/dark contrasts.

He drew from two sides standing gentleman watching the audience through his opera glasses. Both the profile and back view were used for two anonymous figures in the final version.

Klimt captures the model through concise outlines and parallel hatching with strong shadows.

Using insular blank spaces and white highlights, Klimt conveys the light reflections. Their effect is enhanced by the greenish tone of the paper.

In these spontaneous studies, Klimt tried to fix the essential qualities of the poses and gestures of his figures. This was undoubtedly an important experience for him.

Gustav Klimt's outstanding "Allegory of Sculpture" clearly shows his early change from historicism to symbolism. The slender, melancholy-looking main figure stands before a mysterious backdrop of freely arranged sculptures.

The boy with the thorn seated below is closest to the viewer.

Above him, the statue of Pallas Athena and the colossal front-facing head of Juno represent the world of the gods.

The figure frieze visible at the very top—a free interpretation of the Roman Muse sarcophagus in the Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum—seems to refer to the higher planes of the mind and imagination.

Pallas Athena, the future guardian deity of the Vienna Secession, already plays a central role. She is present in both the statue of the sculpture framework and the triumphal figure held up by the main figure; this, in turn, shifts in front of the fully armored Pallas in the Muses relief.

Klimt also dealt with the combative function of the divine protector of the arts in two margin sketches in the nuanced preparatory work for the allegory.

He emphasized the contrast between the dead past and living present by carefully playing off the animate and inanimate substances against each other. The subtly accentuated gold jewelry, along with the bright empty spaces within the full right-angled frame, also hint at Klimt's modern style.