The book I have chosen to write about is centred on the compelling art of Gustav Klimt, written by Alessandra Comini.

The narrative is most interesting, to begin with this book replays a story that involves a burglary at the painter’s studio. The tone is already set and the audience is captivated, to deliver the reader with such wonder in an incident that took place over a hundred years ago, we can begin to dissect what it must’ve truly felt like for these burglars to gawk at such formidable paintings.

The book documents Klimt’ ride to success, but as usual his way was paved with setbacks, until he was revered as a greatly sought after portrait painter. This, however, was not until he had fought back at critics with his proto-futurist interpretation of the world, Klimt, was producing a structure, albeit foundations, for fellow contemporaries to build upon. Reading over and scouring through many of these figures/ landscapes and dreamy imagery. It becomes patently obvious Klimt is trying to evoke this symbolic understanding of his figure through the use of painted pollen and pistil, what streams forth into our conscious state is this idea about sexuality, love and desire.

Klimt’s most famous works, for example, The Kiss of 1907-08 (PI. 30) was incredibly erotic considering the times it was executed in. The ornamental objects and gold and silver can be seen as this patent distraction from the seductive figure portrayed in this dreamlike environment.

Jakob Edward Davies