Gustav Klimpt - Death and Life

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Part A Part A Klimt, Death and Life, 1910, Oil on canvas, 178cm:198cm (Neret,2003,pg70) Part C # 1 The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists. This movement included painters, sculptors, and architects. The goals of the group were to provide exhibitions for progressive young artists, to bring the works of the best foreign artists to Vienna, and to publish its own magazine to showcase the work of the members. (http://en.wikipedia.org) Klimt’s work Death and Life is oil painted on an oil-on canvas. Death and life is loosely based on the subject of the ‘Dance of Death’ which is a medieval work representing how death comes to everyone, whether a peasant or a king. In the work there are two main sections of interest these being ‘death’ on the left side of the work and ‘life’ demonstrated on the right.(http://najmehdavari.com ) It is easy to distinguish between these subjects due to the symbols applied, the colour, and the physical appearance. For example ‘death’ is notable because the figure is a skeleton; a skeleton is only revealed once the living dies. Also, we see on both sides characteristics of decorative patterning. For ‘death’ we see very dark and dull colours and the symbol of the cross. The cross symbol is repeated and clearly an illusion representing the church and possibly the resurrection or afterlife. ‘Death’ is looking towards life eagerly and intensely. Part C # 1 The Vienna Secession was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian artists who had resigned from the Association of
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