The Tree Of Life
Vocabulary: Patterns, shape, color, balance
Gustav Klimt (1862- 1918) was an Austrian Symbolist painter and a member of the Vienna Art Nouveau movement.
· His major works include paintings, murals, sketches and other art objects. Klimt's primary subject was the female body. He also painted landscapes.
· Gustav Klimt was born in Austria, the second of seven children-- three boys and four girls. His father, Ernst Klimt, was a gold engraver, who was financially unsuccessful.
· Klimt lived in poverty for most of his childhood. Klimt was enrolled, at 14, in the Vienna School of Arts and Crafts in 1876, where he studied until 1883, and received training as an architectural decorator. His brother Ernst, who, like his father, was an engraver, also enrolled in the school. Klimt began a career painting interior murals in large public buildings. In 1897, Klimt was the leader of the Secession. This was a group of Austrian artists dedicated to artistic freedom and a style of art known as art nouveau. He began painting landscapes and portraits of wealthy Viennese ladies, receiving the support of loyal patrons. The radiant women in his portraits seem to appear in a kaleidoscope of geometric shapes, spirals, flowers, and golden decorations. Klimt also painted pictures of women that symbolized the cycles of life and death. His art celebrated love, beauty, and motherhood. Two of his most famous paintings are Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (1907) and The Kiss (1907-08;).
· Klimt died on February 6, 1918, in Vienna.
One final interesting fact about Klimt is that his Adele Bloch-Bauer sold in 2006 at auction for more money than any other painting ever had before: $135 million!
The Artwork: Tree of Life: Is a symbol used in many artworks and many religions . In most cases, The Tree of Life is used to signify health and longevity. Gustav Klimt painted with brightness and boldness and this is what he has shown in this painting . A large canvas is used to make this painting and detail is filled in every corner. To give a wonderful grand finish to this artwork, Klimt used gold leaf paint. There's a lot of symbolism behind the Tree of Life . The symbolism is really located in most cultures, all over the globe and is located in each and every aspect with the paintings. The symbolism shows the connection among three distinct worlds.
Art Project
Lesson: Students paint a tree using gold paint. Students will add shapes and celtic symbols as Klimt did. Students will complete the composition by embellishing the tree with carefully placed sequins.
Materials: pencil, black paper, gold, copper and silver paint, brushes, paint trays, sequins, glue.
First, we talk about Gustav Klimt's "Tree of Life" painting and noted the swirly branches. Students will duplicate the branches on their own paper in pencil. Please refer to the painting on their Chromebooks or smartboard picture.
Day 2 - Paint the tree with gold paint.
Day 3- Embellish the tree with symbols painted in gold, copper, and silver. Glue on sequins to finish off the composition.
