Gustav Klimt created paintings based on elements taken both from Art Noveau and Byzantine art. His aim, however, was not to capture style, but to capture emotion. His distinctive and powerful works are prized by many who seek feeling in their art.

Klimt is best known for "Der Kuss" (The Kiss). This piece shows a man kissing a woman on the cheek. While the act itself is not particularly noteworthy, the way it is represented is revolutionary. The figures look to be clothed in flowing gold robes. While their faces are visible, the rest of their bodies are subsumed by this wave of gold, with only their arms peeking out. The background is similarly golden; the figures seem to stand on a green-based platform.

This heavy stylization has the impact of eliminating context from the piece. The time, place and circumstances of the kiss are not important in this world; only the kiss itself carries weight. A similar effect is achieved in "Baby," in which a small child rests a top a multicolored mound of . . . we don't know what, but it seems to have little bearing on our universe, turning our attention to the one recognizable element of the piece, the child.

The meaning of Klimt's paintings are difficult to comprehend for many, though most everyone can agree on the beauty of these compositions. The recurring gold color is beautiful to behold; Klimt imbues all of his colors with a sense of strength and urgency. Here at ARTinaClick.com, we carry high quality reproductions of Klimt's works that are meant to convey the full power of the original paintings.

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