The Kiss

The painting "The Kiss" from 1908/09 is undoubtedly Klimt's best-known work today.

A pair of lovers, kneeling on a flower meadow and wearing lavish golden robes, seem to be floating before an infinite cosmos of golden fog. This mystical backdrop further enhances the transcendental effect of the painting.

The lovers' bodies are joined together in a single contour. Only the faces and hands of the two figures are visible in vivid detail, as well as the shoulders and feet of the woman. The rest of her body is covered by flat decorative elements.

The ornamental shapes on the woman's dress—round, colorful patterns and floral elements—express softness and tenderness. Different-colored flowers adorn her hair and face and emphasize her feminine and loving nature.

The man is covered by rectangular, contrasting black-and-white structures which convey a masculine angularity and strength. The ornamental shapes in Klimt's painting therefore also symbolize the principles of the sexes.

Klimt creates the image of a perfect union between man and woman with both merging together. Here, man and woman connect with the earth and the cosmos, guided by the power holding everything together: love.

The identity of the two people in the painting "The Kiss" is often debated. Klimt himself made no statement on the subject.

The flower meadow where the couple are kneeling would therefore be the shore of the Attersee. This would also explain why the meadow ends so abruptly on the right.

The strange creeping vines gliding gently over the lovers' legs could reflect the algae and aquatic plants of the Attersee.

Similarly, the background of the painting could refer to the surface of the Attersee, where the sunlight is reflected and split into a multitude of tiny glimmers.

Maybe he didn't intend to capture any real people in this painting at all. Instead, this painting may be understood as a general allegory of love, making a universally valid statement on this central theme of human life.

The fact that Klimt managed to perfectly convey this message—connecting with art lovers directly and emotionally—is evidenced by the painting's worldwide fame and almost iconic status.

An early photo documents the initial state of the painting.

In the earlier version, it is clear to see that the lower legs of the lovers were originally shorter. The flower meadow was more embellished in the earlier version.

The painting is undoubtedly the most significant work of Klimt's so-called "Golden Phase." In these paintings, Klimt developed a completely new and almost unique technique that allowed him to apply real, wafer-thin gold leaf onto the canvas.

Gold leaf and a shining golden bronze color blend into a single entity that shines and shimmers magnificently. With this, Klimt delivered an outstanding, innovative contribution to the European Art Nouveau.

In the painting "The Kiss," the garments worn by the pair of lovers are not the only things covered with gold leaf. The background, looking like a cosmic nebula with its fine gold flakes, transports the lovers into a completely different reality.

In addition to gold leaf, Klimt also applied fine silver flakes to some areas of the painting.