All in one room

When we get to see one artist's work all in the same place it's often in the context of a retrospective. It's especially interesting when the person is a native son/daughter of a particular place. You can learn quite a bit about what they were up to and the community they were part of. I'm speaking in the past tense because the artists I'm going to share with you are from the past.

First Pieter Breugel (the Elder) lived in the 16th century and was a Flemish artist (present day Belgium) not so far from Vienna as the crow flies. The Kunsthistorisches Museum has a number of his most important works and seeing so many in one room was a real treat.

Breugel, "The Tower of Babel", 1563, 45 X 61". Some of you have seen this image in the Voice Thread for Prehistory. It is the most common image for this biblical theme. Perspective shows a small port next to the monumental tower and his work might remind you of the "Where's Waldo" game of childhood.

Breugel, "Hunters in the Snow (Winter)", 1565, 46 X 64". When we get to the Renaissance this is one of the images you'll be learning about. Isn't it amazing how Breughel is able to make you feel the season, the lighting and the color make us feel cold.

Breugel, "Return of the Herd (Autumn)", 1565, 46 X 64". The series of the seasons includes an image that is not common in Flemish painting. Breughel is depicting a scene he saw in Switzerland and would likely see in Austria as well. Notice how much landscape is included in this painting, a hallmark of the northern European artists of the Renaissance.

Breugel, "Gloomy Day (Spring)", 1565, 46 X 64". Seems like an odd title for a painting about spring. You could think about it as awakening from winter. Unfortunately, "summer" wasn't in the gallery with the others. Not sure where it is (or if it even still exists). Breughel the Younger did a series that includes all seasons but that's for another time.

Breugel, "Peasant Wedding", 1567, 45 X 65". So nice to see this work in it's full size rather than as a reproduction in a book. Actually, some of you will be seeing this work in your textbook later on. I've always wondered what was hovering over the bride's head, it's a paper crown. Beautiful depiction of peasant life and celebration, certainly not a destination wedding.

The Belvedere is a complex of palaces from the Baroque period (17th Century) that has gardens similar to Versailles but not quite as elaborate. It was built during a prosperous period in the Hapsburg Empire's reign. It was built for Emperor Eugene of Saxony following success in a series of wars with the Ottoman Empire.

The garden and fountains of the Belvedere overlooking the city (from the Upper Belvedere palace looking down on to the lower Belvedere.

Entrance to the Upper Belvedere Palace, home to a museum now especially featuring the work of Gustav Klimt. Interestingly, the publicity for this and all the signage inside declares that they are exhibiting the "most famous" Klimt painting, "The Kiss". This is of course after Austria was forced to return Klimt's "The Lady in Gold (Portrait of Estelle Bloch Bauer)" to her family after it was stolen from them by the Nazis.

Inside, you can see how elaborately decorated some of the rooms are. Those of you who have already learned about trompe l'oeil (trick of the eye)- can you tell what is real dimension and what is painted on a flat surface?

Looking out towards the "back" garden.

Gustav Klimt is known as a "native son" of Vienna. During his lifetime he did not get as much recognition though you'll see he had a lot of talent for painting portraits of very wealthy ladies! He is considered the primary proponent of the Secessionist artistic movement, which did not have a specific philosophy or manifesto. Rather it encouraged experimentation and encouraged young artists of all styles to push things a bit out of conventional styles. Klimt often pushed the boundaries of eroticism in his work and was roundly criticized for that. Nowadays we wouldn't quite see it that way.

Klimt, "Sonia Knips", 1897, 56" X 56" . She was a wealthy woman who owned two paintings in this gallery. An interesting thing to consider. This portrait looks fairly traditional for a relatively modern painting.

"Adam and Eve" (1918) from the collection of Sonia Knips and "Judith (and Head of Holfernos)" (1901) are two themes we see quite often in art so it's interesting to see Klimt's interpretation and his development towards pattern and abstraction.

Klimt, "Fritza Riedler", 1906. By the turn of the century Klimt was experimenting with less traditional ways of depicting the figure, especially in the clothes and setting.

Once again, in person is always the best and the gold of "The Kiss" and the flatness of the image really can be seen. I had not paid as much attention to the detail of the field of flowers as I did now.