Analysis of Gustav Klimt’s- Adele Bloch-Bauer and Da Vinci’s –The Last Supper

Analysis of Gustav Klimt’s- Adele Bloch-Bauer and Da Vinci’s –The Last Supper

Undoubtedly, Gustav Klimt’s Adele Bloch Bauer is a portrait that is also popularly known as the Lady in Gold, which is essentially one of the two formal portraits made by the same artist. Adele was a vital patron to Klimt. As the wife to one of the wealthiest industrialists in Vienna, the Lady in Gold portrait was commissioned by her husband, Ferdinand Bloch-Bauer. He was a sugar producer and a banker. In this case, the composition shows the social position within the confines of Vienna’s cultural elite that Lady Bauer wields. The towering figure that shows her in an opulent dress is thus set against a backdrop. This jewel-toned abstract patterned block hints at an extravagantly decorated interior. During World War II, the Nazis took this portrait alongside other artistic works in the Bloch-Bauer collections belonging to the family. The Last Supper, by Da Vinci, is one of the most famous paintings in the world today. It strikingly has a theme similar to the one presented in the painting by Adele Bloch-Bauer. With this knowledge in mind, it suffices to maintain that both paintings address a common theme, which is humility.

Besides, it is essential to understand that Gustav Klimt’s portrait of Adele Bauer is extensively layered with meanings. It is foremost a symbolist painting and a distillation of feminine beauty, whereby it also represents the tragic story of the dispossession of the Jews at the mercy of the Nazis’ hands (Stanska, 2017). This painting by this widely known painter, Klimt, depicts Adele Bauer, who belonged to the Jewish intelligentsia and dominated Vienna’s artistic life at the start of the century. Like other musicians and artists, Klimt depended on the milieu for patronage. However, it would be a move that would be criticized much later by the anti-Semitic critics, including Adolf Hitler.

However, the ironic part was that Klimt was celebrated by Nazis in an ironic twist regardless of his intimate interlink with Bauer. But for them to proudly put the portrait on display as one of the Nazi symbols. Given that they were aware of Klimt’s symbiotic relationship with Jewish women, they knew they had to present the Aryan race of the Germanic culture, which opposed the degenerate art that was inherently interlinked with Judaism. The largely unconvincing solution was to rename this work of art with descriptive titles. It is then that the “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer” went on to become “Lady in Gold.”

It is imperative to understand that this portrait depicting the Lady in Gold shows her looking slightly away from the viewer or the painter as he painted it. There is a note of confidence in the gaze, which exudes intelligence, power, and confidence. It is worth noting that even though she looks away, some may be inclined to imagine her shyness. However, it could be compensated because her background shows splendor and fiscal success. The jewels that she adorns paint a picture of one who does not have established eye contact for her strength or confidence, to be precise.

However, it is also critical to note that she hides a part of her fingers in this painting. It is not coincidental. As such, she was hiding one of her deformed fingers from getting painted. With this knowledge in mind, it suffices to maintain that although she is painted with everything that one could ever wish for in this life, her deformity is the humbling factor. Even though she seems to have everything in life and is essentially living a quiet life that an average person could only dream of, it is so. It demystifies and associates her with the common deformities that fiscally incapacitated persons may have. It could also indicate why her gaze seems to be slightly away from the viewer and explains why she refrains from looking at the viewer. It is the indicator that it essentially makes her an average human. As such, in essence, it humbles her.

Besides, Leonardo da Vinci’s famous work of art, The Last Supper, depicts the disciples sitting around Jesus as they have the well-known last meal together. It happens before everything changes from what they previously knew, and it acts as the bridge between the three years of evangelism that they knew and how their lives would change after this meal. The riveting thing about this painting is its simplicity. Simplicity in Da Vinci’s works of art is what exemplifies their complexity. In this case, the depiction shows Jesus sitting in the middle but without the halo that most painters before and after him often depicted.

Other painters who painted the disciples around Jesus have always had halos themselves. However, in this painting, Da Vinci aims to show the humble life of Jesus, who led with his disciples. It suffices to maintain that he aimed at showing the humble Jesus as illustrated in the Bible. He was born to a poor couple, and his father was a carpenter. His disciples were essentially humble men who did humble jobs such as fishing or engaged in jobs that were despised by the Jews, such as collecting taxes.

Therefore, with this notion in mind, it is sufficient to posit that painting Jesus and his disciples without the halo indicates the painter’s intention to depict the real, humble Jesus (Bay & Bay, 2010). Although he was the son of God and the second in command in heaven, he is seen associating himself with the less unfortunate members of society. As such, the paintings by Gustav Klimt depicting Adele Bloch-Bauer and Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper are both years apart, but they address the same theme of humility.

Still, both works of art depict a situation whereby they address a similar theme: humility. It, therefore, suffices to maintain that the intended audience for this is everyone. It is further bolstered by the fact that everyone can learn from this and try to emulate the message in both paintings.

Also, it is vital to understand that numerous professions could be impacted by the notions that these two paintings try to bring to the fore. As such, executive officials in the corporate world could play a vital role in practicing humility, as suggested by these paintings. The executives’ humility in the workplace could go a long way in helping junior employees feel appreciated and respected in the workplace. Besides, given the doctors’ positions in society, they may feel proud and tend to be uppity when interacting with their subordinates or patients. As such, the paintings would go a long way in helping them mend their ways and remain humble.

I strongly feel that this theme directly impacts my personal life. In this case, I realize that I need to remain humble regardless of my social standing in society or how much wealth I have. The paintings are a reminder to me to remain humble despite everything.

In conclusion, it suffices to maintain that both painters took time to understand and relay the similar theme, humbleness, in their subtle ways to have their works of art depict specific messages to the audience.

References

Bay, N. S. Y., & Bay, B. H. (2010). Da Vinci’s anatomy. J Morphol Sci, 27, 11-13.

Stanska, Z. (2017). Lady in Gold: Adele Bloch-Bauer by Gustav Klimt. https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/lady-in-gold-klimt/

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Overview: Now that you have chosen your artifacts and identified the common theme, you will develop a draft of your exploration document. Over the course of Theme: Examining the Humanities and Theme: Impact of the Humanities, you will walk through each step in the Soomo web text and have an opportunity to incorporate instructor feedback before submitting your final version of the exploration document at the end of Theme: Impact of the Humanities.

The Last Supper

Prompt: Analyze your two chosen artifacts. Then, identify a common theme and compare your examples to one another as expressions of the same theme in different cultural artifacts. To document your analysis and research, you will develop a reference list. In preparation for the presentation you will develop in Theme: Human Culture, you will also consider how you would present your research to a specific audience.

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

1. Describe the cultural artifacts that you chose. Consider questions such as these in your response: What is the name or title of the artifact? Who is the author or artist? What is the date or time period when the artifact was created? What is the cultural location or physical setting of the artifact? In addition, you could consider including a photograph or image of each cultural artifact if they are visual.
2. Identify at least one common theme that will serve as the framework of your exploration. How is the theme expressed in your artifacts?

• Explain how the theme you identified is related to your personal experience. For instance, you could discuss how the expression of the theme in your cultural artifacts is connected to you.

1. Discuss a profession that could be impacted by the theme you identified. In other words, how is the theme you identified related to professional experiences? How could a working knowledge of the humanities be useful in this field?
2. Describe at least three humanities resources that you could use to investigate your theme and artifacts. Your sources must be relevant to your theme and of an appropriate academic nature. In your description, consider questions such as the following: What are the similarities and differences in the content of your sources? What makes them appropriate and relevant for investigating your issue? What was your thought process when you were searching for sources? How did you make choices? Did you encounter any obstacles, and if so, how did you overcome them? If you did not, why do you think it was so easy to find what you needed?
3. Use the humanities resources that you selected to research your theme and cultural artifacts, making sure that you cite your sources. Based on your research, do the following:

1. Discuss the relationship between each cultural artifact and its historical context. In other words, what were the circumstances under which each artifact was created?
2. Explain the similarities and differences that you observe in the cultural artifacts you selected in relation to the theme. For instance, do the artifacts contain any symbolism? If so, how are the symbols both similar and different? What do the symbols tell you about each artifact?
3. Discuss the medium—such as literature, music, or sculpture—through which your cultural artifacts were created. For instance, how did the creator or creators of each artifact use the medium to convey something about the meaning of the artifact?

• Based on your research, develop a thesis statement that conveys the claim you plan to make about your theme and artifacts. Your thesis statement should be clear, specific, and
• Based on your research, identify an audience that would be interested in your theme and thesis statement. For example, who would benefit most from hearing your message?

1. Describe how and why you can tailor your message to your audience, providing specific examples based on your research. For example, will your audience understand the terminology and principles used by humanities scholars, or will you need to explain these? How will you communicate effectively with your audience?
2. Provide a reference list that includes all of the humanities resources you used to research your artifacts, theme, and thesis statement. Ensure that your list is formatted according to current APA guidelines (or another format with instructor permission).