Gustav Klimt (1862-1918)
was a prominent member of an innovating group of artists called 'Sezession' and is considered to be one of the main pioneers of modern art. Apart from this, his ornamental Jugendstil style evokes an irresistible feeling which is inspired by the 'fin-de-siecle' of 19th century Vienna: elitist, liberal-middle class, decadent, pleasantly-decorative. His work is extremely recognizable due to his monumental style combined with Byzantine-like ornamental art and classical symbolism, created against the background of romanticism which was so characteristic of his time. In Sezession's own words: "Art guides us to an ideal realm, the only place where we will be able to find pure joy, pure happiness and pure love. A choir of angels from paradise. Joy given by divine sparkles. That kiss from the entire world!"
EGON SCHIELE (1890-1918)
The artist and painter who, during his short life, developed from a Jugendstil artist into the exponent of Viennese expressionism. Because nearly his entire family worked for the Austrian railways, Egon Schiele was expected to do the same. Instead, this self-willed young man signed up for the Viennese art academy. He admired Sezession and in particular Gustav Klimt whom he had met in 1907 and who took him under his wing as a protégé. In Schiele’s early work his liking for Eastern-Asian art can be recognized immediately, and it links up perfectly with the illustrative, ornamental Viennese Jugendstil. Later on he developed a powerful angular style which was entirely his own, and which made him into the exponent of early Viennese expressionism. Much of his work consists of portraits, including many self portraits where he sometimes distinguished himself from his subject in a most frightening fashion. Its sexual aspect, which is nearly always present, is sometimes explicitly expressed. The combination of colours, which was added after the drawing was finished, is sharp and alienating. Death, with which he was frequently confronted during his short life, played a big part in his choice of subject. Egon Schiele led a short, eventful and, for those days, scandalous life. In 1918 he died of the Spanish flu, 28 years of age, and some months after his young wife Edith fell victim to the same epidemic.
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