Romantic? Not So Much
So I've had this painting on my computer desktop for a while now, and the more I look at it, the more I realize there's a lot being said here. So, without further ado, here is my analysis of Gustav Klimt's The Kiss.
1. That guy is kind of short. He's standing up and she's kneeling and still almost as tall as he is.
2. I don't think she's enduring this kiss, not enjoying it, for the following reasons:
A) She's turning her head away from him
B) She's not smiling
C) Her toes and fingers (esp. on the hand behind his neck) are curled like she's very tense.
3. I think the man is quite threatening and is planning to hurt the girl.
A) He's holding her head in a very unnatural position, esp. for a kiss, and he won't let her move
B) He's got her on the edge of a cliff, her feet are hanging over the edge for crying out loud! Which does explain why her hand is around his neck, something unusual for someone being forced to kiss someone else. She's trying to hang onto him so she won't go over the edge.
C) He doesn't even look like he's kissing her, he may be whispering "I'm going to kill you" in her ear.
4. The background of this piece is kind of dark and scary. Granted, it's typical Klimt, but it's still dark and scary, like there's an especially evil rainstorm about to pound all those flowers into the ground.
5. My conclusions/story about this painting is as follows:
He is a guy she was dating out of pity (short, perhaps not that good looking, and made fun of by all the other girls). She feels bad for him and agrees to go out on ONE date. He immediately becomes obsessed with her and insanely jealous. She realizes what a crazy person he is and lets him know in no uncertain terms that he is not allowed anywhere in her vicinity, but he can't accept that as he now sees her as his property. He starts (well, continues, actually) stalking her and catches her alone picking flowers in the meadow by the edge of the cliff where he pleads for her to take him back. She's scared and refuses and he thinks that one kiss will change her mind so he grabs her and kisses her as she struggles to get away. He doesn't realize how close to the edge of the cliff they are (he's also mentally very close to the edge) and when he realizes that she's trying to get away from him, he'll push her away, and subsequently over the edge to her death.
The interesting part is that he will still see himself as the victim in this relationship.
The really sad thing is that this story is on the news every day...
posted by Lindsey @ 11:00 AM
7 Comments:
Well, the colors are nice. Linz, I think the extra hormones are getting to you. Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss, y'know. Maybe Klimt just had the two models, we really don't know. Again, the colors are nice. at least he wasn't just throwing buckets of paint at the canvas and calling it "art".
not a big Jackson Pollock fan?
Erik and I love your analysis. Erik always got hounded by girls because he didn't think The Kiss was beautiful and wonderful, etc. I think you have a creative take that you defend well. (Let's again thank Mr. Gentry for focusing your natural linguistic talents.) Go Linz! Thanks for a refreshing new view of the painting.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :)
Ahem. . .
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For once this kettle ain't black. ;) But I understand that it's a lot harder to find interesting things to write about your kid when all they're doing is head-butting your bladder/tap-dancing on your ribcage (or, as in Elizabeth's case, vice-versa!)
Hope to hear from you again soon. . .Love ya! :)
Although the woman's eyes are closed, the expression on the woman's face does not fit your overall analysis.
Love you.
i can't stop laughing about your conclusions. but i kinda agree with you- the more i look at it, the more i think that it might be a little creepy
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