Danae (Danaë)

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Danae (Danaë): Gustave Klimt

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Art Type: Oil Painting
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Gustave Klimt Oil Painting - Danae (Danaë)

Keywords: Danae, Danaë

Work Overview: Danae (Danaë)
Gustav Klimt
Date: 1907 - 1908
Style: Art Nouveau (Modern)
Period: Golden phase
Genre: mythological painting
Media: oil, canvas
Dimensions: 83 x 77 cm
Location: Wurthle Gallery, Vienna, Austria

Danaë is an oil painting by Gustav Klimt, created in 1907. An example of Symbolism, the canvas measures 77 x 83 cm, and is in the Galerie Würthle in Vienna. Danaë was a popular subject in the early 1900s for many artists; she was used as the quintessential symbol of divine love, and transcendence.

While imprisoned by her father, King of Argos, in a tower of bronze, Danaë was visited by Zeus, symbolized here as the golden rain flowing between her legs. It is apparent from the subject's face that she is aroused by the golden stream.

In this work, she is curled in a royal purple veil which refers to her imperial lineage. Sometime after her celestial visitation she gave birth to a son, Perseus, who is cited later in Greek mythology for slaying the Gorgon Medusa and rescuing Andromeda.

Many early portrayals of Danaë were erotic; other paintings completed in similar style are Klimt's Medicine (1900–1907), and Water Snakes (1904–1907).

Danae is obviously erotic. It show women from Classical myth seduced by the god Jupiter. The sleeping figure of Danae coils up to meet a fall of golden rain that symbolizes Jupiter. The parted lips and legs, the closed eyes, the rolled-down stocking on her ankle, the red hair and diaphanous purple veil are all indicative of Danae's sensual experience. Nearly a quarter of the picture surface is taken up by Danae's thighs, which makes this a highly erotic works.

The drawings for the painting is more voyeuristic than the finished works. Klimt asked his models to pose in these revealing positions and drew them with simple, clear outlines. The ornament and rich colouring of the painted versions serve to distract the viewer's attention slightly from the exposed pose of the women.

In 1907, Gustav finished the work on his version of Danaë, a popular topic for the artists that lived during his time. His painting captures the image of the princess imprisoned by the king in a bronze tower. During that time she was visited by Zeus in the form of a golden rain that flows between her legs. Danaë’s face shows signs of arousal by the golden stream. The artist is trying to create a quintessential symbol of transcendence and divine love using Danaë as the main protagonist of his artwork.

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Created in 1907, during the artist’s ‘golden period’, this painting, ‘Danae’ by Gustav Klimt is a late example of Symbolism, a Europe-wide movement that spanned the written and visual arts, and which in the visual arts is characterised by narrative and literary works that are often mythological in theme.

The depiction of Danaë, a story taken from Greek mythology, was a favorite of the Symbolists. The theme was appealing as Danaë was viewed as an archetypal symbolic representation of divine love and redemption.

Danaë’s father, on hearing that a son born of his daughter would in the end be led to kill him, attempted to foil the prophesy by locking Danaë away in a brass chamber; however, she eventually fell pregnant (with Perseus) after the god Zeus appeared to her in the form of a shower of gold.

The painting revels in the moment of conception; the transformed God, appearing as a flowing river of gold spangles, is clutched at and held close to woman’s body.

The cascading golden form seems to concentrate and fracture in a flux of passion. Such a frank portrayal of ecstasy on the face of Danaë, the parted lips and closed eyes, was thought bold and provocative for the time and it must have shocked the painting’s early viewers, although such candid depictions of female sexuality were frequent in many Symbolist works.

The woman is depicted in a state of rich abandon with expansive, nacreous flesh and her auburn hair falling in luxurious tresses across her face. She lies, curled in climactic satisfaction, a stocking raveled about her ankle, in an undefined space, partially wrapped in a flowing, diaphanous veil of gold and purple the traditional colours of luxury.

These signs inform the viewer of her regal identity. The composition with the contorted position of Danaë was unusual dominated as it is by her thigh which takes on huge proportion and fully stresses the overt sexuality of the piece, an emphasis that is only partly mitigated by the distracting effects of the opulent decoration and the abstraction of the surrounding patterns.

The position of the woman’s body seems partly to effect an embryonic state, and the flat boundaries of the abstract painted forms further support this, appearing to encase and protect the woman as though she has been removed from all worldly concern and has been set adrift in the protecting sphere of her own sexual transport.

There is a disturbing element of voyeurism for the viewer; here we are party to the most private sensations; we look upon someone who is completely exposed and who is only aware of the pleasure and ecstasy that has transfixed her attention.

Klimt’s art is very distinctive and today extremely popular.

Klimt was an Austrian artist who took as his primary subject the female body in all its forms, much of his output is characterised by overt sexuality and sensuality of form. He is known for his paintings, large scale murals and later for his delicate sketches of nudes.

He also painted a number of very distinctive landscapes but never any self-portraits; the subject neither interested him, nor he thought should it interest others, ‘Who ever wants to know something about me... ought to look carefully at my pictures.’

The outré nature of his work, particularly the murals he completed for the University of Vienna, led to allegations that it was pornographic.

Klimt was highly influenced by Japanese prints which were becoming freely available.

His art reflects this influence in his use of pattern and flat colour. His most distinctive paintings, and those that gave him critical and financial success, are those from his so-called ‘golden period’ which make extensive use of gold leaf. This technique of opulent ornament can also be seen in pictures such as his famous ‘Kiss’ created in the same year as Danaë.

Klimt’s works have typically achieved very high prices whenever they appear at auction.

The portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer which was auctioned in November 2006 and sold for $88 million was the third-highest priced art piece at the time.

Although his art is extremely popular with the public at large, art criticism has tended to denigrate Klimt’s influence. His most notable protégé was Egon Schiele.

Klimt's work combined art and eroticism in a style which was highly controversial at that time. Danae provides one example of this, also combining this with a theme of mythology.

Those interested in art techniques will be intrigued by his various Danae study piece drawings, which simplify everything down to a minimal selection of lines to produce form.

Their was a more focused, sexualised nature to his pencil drawings, whilst the completed painting boasts Klimt's bold colouring and patterned finishes which add much more to the finished artwork.

In this classical mythology, Danae is seduced by the God Jupiter, who here is represented by golden rain. A careful study of the detail in her portrait reveals an erotic depiction, typical of Klimt through the high point of his career.

Danaë is an oil painting by Gustav Klimt, created in 1907. The canvas measures 77 x 83 cm, is cataloged as Symbolism (arts)|Symbolism, and is housed in the Galerie Würthle in Vienna. Danaë was a popular subject in the early 1900’s for many artists; she was used as the quintessential symbol of divine love, and Transcendence (philosophy)|transcendence. While imprisoned by her father, King of Argos, in a tower of bronze, Danaë was visited by Zeus, symbolized here as the golden rain flowing between her legs. It is apparent from the subject's face that she is sexual arousal|aroused by the golden stream. In this work, she is curled in a sumptuous royal purple veil which refers to her imperial lineage. Sometime after her celestial visitation she gave birth to a son, Perseus, who is cited later in Greek mythology for slaying the Gorgon Medusa and rescuing Andromeda (mythology)|Andromeda. Many other early portrayals of Danaë were often erotic; other paintings completed in similar style are Klimt’s Medicine (Klimt Painting)|Medicine (1900- 1907), and Water Snakes (1904 – 1907).Payne, Laura. Klimt. Bath, UK: Parragon Publishing, 2004.

Danae: This is a mythical/biblical themed painting depicting Danae - the daughter of King Acrisius of Argos, and a symbol of divine love and transcendence – in a moment of arousal (symbolized by the golden rain flowing between her legs) when visited by Greek god Zeus.

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