Hope, I
by KLIMT, Gustav, Oli on canvas, 189 x 67 cm
Gustav Klimt was a leading figure in the Vienna Secession. This bold image violated contemporary standards of propriety, forcing its withdrawal from his first Secession retrospective. Klimt juxtaposed the promise of new life with the destructive forces of death. Despite the monstrosities around her, the subject remains unperturbed, confident of the renewal within.
Preliminary sketches for this painting depict a couple within a landscape reflecting upon their happiness; Klimt’s changes may have been a reaction to the death of his infant son in 1902.