The Dancer

The Dancer: Gustave Klimt

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Art Type: Oil Painting
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Keywords: Dancer

Work Overview: The Dancer
Gustav Klimt
Original Title: Die Tänzerin
Date: 1916 - 1918
Style: Art Nouveau (Modern), Japonism
Period: Late works
Genre: portrait
Measures: 180 x 90 cm
Technique: Oil on canvas
Depository: Privately owned, New York

The name dancer originates from Erich Lederer. We do not know who the lady in the painting is. There are speculations that it is Ria Munk, the daughter of Alexander and Aranka Munch (born Pulitzer) who commisioned a posthum portrait of their daughter Maria, who commited suicide after her lover left her. We know that the Munks didn't like the first portrait and they ordered another portrait. But would Klimt have depicted a portrait of a dead young woman with bare breasts? More likely ist he assumption that it is the portrait of the younger daughter Lola.

With a distinctly oriental and sensual feel, this beautiful image features a young woman, her head turned to the side, holding a bunch of bright yellow daffodils.

Just behind her are a group of anonymous figures, who also appear to be wearing oriental style clothing. The woman's clothing is open, exposing her breasts and the colourful gown she is wearing blends into the background in a riot of floral patterns and colours.

This was characteristic of Klimt's later pieces where anatomy and ornamentation almost become one. Her black pantaloons are just visible and on her feet she wears highly detailed shoes with the fashionable Louis heels of the time, decorated with bows.

Klimt was fascinated with "oriental" culture. He owned a collection of books about the East and a wardrobe of Japanese and Chinese costumes too.

Additionally, Klimt would have been well aware of feminine fashions due to his close friendship with fashion designer, Emilie Floge as he had drawn some fashion items for her salon too.

Although it is not clear who the woman in the painting is, it seems that the inspiration came about through a failed commission. He had been asked to paint a second portrait of Aranka Munk's deceased daughter Ria Munk.

However, Klimt struggled with the painting which was supposed to depict Ria's "joie de vivre" when she was alive, rather that the deathbed version he had already completed.

Klimt wrote to his companion, Emilie, that he couldn't make the "likeness" and his image of the client's daughter was finally rejected. Klimt went on to complete the painting, portraying the bare-breasted, alluring female now known as The Dancer.

It has been suggested that he based the portrait on one of his models, possibly a dancer.

The Dancer is a wonderful, colourful vision capturing Klimt's talent and unique style, just before his death in 1918.

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Gustave Klimt

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