GUSTAV KLIMT'S 'DEATH AND LIFE' (1910): A SYMBOLIST EXPRESSION OF MORTALITY

Jan 2, 2024

2 min read

Updated: Oct 16

Gustav Klimt, Death and Life (1910-1915), oil on canvas

Gustav Klimt's Death and Life shows a skeletal figure in a robe of crosses standing beside a tangle of sleeping men, women and children. Begun in 1910 and reworked in 1915, it is held by the Leopold Museum in Vienna and is one of Klimt's most direct paintings about mortality.

What do the two sides of Death and Life show?

On the left, Death stands watching, club in hand. On the right is a bundle of the living: babies, a mother, lovers, an old woman, held together in an ornamented mass of colour. The contrast is deliberate. Death is dark, thin and nearly monochrome; life is rich, patterned and crowded. Klimt shows no fight, only a pause in which Death waits and the sleepers do not seem to notice.

Why did Klimt rework it in 1915?

Klimt painted the first version in 1910, and it won a prize at the 1911 international exhibition in Rome. In 1915 he repainted parts of it, including the background, which gave the finished picture its present look. The change shows how his style moved away from the gold of the Kiss period toward a looser, more colour-led manner.

Zocine Art Design is an independent studio that prints classic paintings as wall art. See this print at the Zocine Art Design shop on Etsy.

Gustav Klimt's "Death and Life" (1910), available as a print, is a significant work in the Symbolist movement. This painting illustrates the cycle of life and the looming presence of death, emphasizing Klimt's distinct style and use of vibrant colors. The artwork, profound in its thematic exploration, is a must-see for art enthusiasts. For more information, please visit the listing here.