arriving the International Women’s Day it seems opportune to expose this brief essay on one of the most representative painters of the last century: Gustav Klimt, the same one who was not only a great artist, but was a great artist dedicated to portraying through his works the feminine essence from all its perspectives. Among one of his most famous works we find the recognized: The three ages of women, the same one that was exhibited for the first time in the Art Exhibition of 1908.
The work shows three women: in the scene we can observe the three ages of the woman before a field of yellow flowers in which we observe imperfect golden and black ellipses, recalling this background to the Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna that so attracted the master.
In front and in the foreground appears the mother, with her daughter in her arms, resting her head on that of her offspring. She has her eyes closed and a dreamy gesture, just like her little girl, whose sex we cannot contemplate as her figure is pressed against her mother. A naked old woman, on her side, with her face covered by her long hair, taking her left hand to her face, is the representation of her old age. In this way we can appreciate the representation of birth, maturity and decadence. Again, Klimt evokes the important role of women in life, alluding to the feminine side of her, which some specialists interpret as the rebellion of Oedipus.
The Viennese master has been inspired by a work by Rodin for the figure of the old woman, expressing his admiration for the French sculptor.
Gustav Klimt he died of a stroke a few months before the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and was buried in the Viennese Hietzing Cemetery, where he remains today. A considerable number of his works were confiscated by the Nazi dictatorship. As the enemy troops advanced, and seeing that his works would become spoils of war, they unfortunately decided to burn the castle where they remained confiscated. In June 2006 one of his paintings, the portrait of Adele Bloch Bauerbecame the second most expensive painting in history, selling for 135 million dollars acquired by the cosmetics magnate ronald lauder.
Source: Wikipedia