Gustave Klimt

Emily introduced you to our secret project in the last post so I thought that I'd mention a few more artists who are going to be involved. There should be a total of 10 artists, five each, and here is one which I'm including.

You will of course know of Gustave Klimt. He & I share the same birthday, which is Bastille day, although there are several underlying differences between us:

1. Gustave Klimt was 96 years older than me,
2. Gustave Klimt was undoubtedly a pervert and,
3. Gustave Klimt was a man.

Best known for his iconic portrait in the shape of an erect phallus, you are probably familiar with The Kiss. (see right). The Kiss isn't actually my favourite picture. Klimt's portraits embody colour in a way that is so rich, yet he manages to not let it be overpowering. The faces, pale and stark by comparison with the gold-leaf shrouds his figures wear, draw the viewer's eyes to them immediately. There is a great sense of passion.

Klimt isn't a painter whose works I love, in the sense that I like the portraits but he wouldn't be on my list of favourites, far from it. So why did I choose to include him? Not sure myself really, perhaps the answer will lie in sleep.