Secession I
Secession I
Gustav Klimt (Austrian, 1862–1918)
Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), Secession I, 1898. Poster. Color lithograph, 97 x 69 cm. Gift of Bates Lowry. 207.1968. The Museum of Modern Art, New York
Klimt adopts the use of white space and asymmetrical design of Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898). Goddess Athena, who personified wisdom, is the figure at the right. This ties the text at the bottom of the poster with the frieze-like panel at the top, which depicts Theseus fighting the Minotaur, symbolizing the artistic struggle against philistinism, ironically displayed when this poster was censored: Klimt had to add a tree to hide Theseus’ genitalia.
Klimt adopts the use of white space and asymmetrical design of Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898). Goddess Athena, who personified wisdom, is the figure at the right. This ties the text at the bottom of the poster with the frieze-like panel at the top, which depicts Theseus fighting the Minotaur, symbolizing the artistic struggle against philistinism, ironically displayed when this poster was censored: Klimt had to add a tree to hide Theseus’ genitalia.
Dublin Core
Title
Secession I
Subject
Poster for the First Secession Exhibition (censored version) (1. Kunstausstellung Secession)
Description
Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), Secession I, 1898. Poster. Color lithograph, 97 x 69 cm. Gift of Bates Lowry. 207.1968. The Museum of Modern Art, New York
Klimt adopts the use of white space and asymmetrical design of Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898). Goddess Athena, who personified wisdom, is the figure at the right. This ties the text at the bottom of the poster with the frieze-like panel at the top, which depicts Theseus fighting the Minotaur, symbolizing the artistic struggle against philistinism, ironically displayed when this poster was censored: Klimt had to add a tree to hide Theseus’ genitalia.
Klimt adopts the use of white space and asymmetrical design of Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898). Goddess Athena, who personified wisdom, is the figure at the right. This ties the text at the bottom of the poster with the frieze-like panel at the top, which depicts Theseus fighting the Minotaur, symbolizing the artistic struggle against philistinism, ironically displayed when this poster was censored: Klimt had to add a tree to hide Theseus’ genitalia.
Creator
Gustav Klimt (Austrian, 1862–1918)
Date
1898-03-01/1898-06-30
Contributor
The Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Rights
Gift of Bates Lowry.
Format
Poster. Color lithograph, 97 x 69 cm.
Type
Poster
Identifier
207.1968
Citation
Gustav Klimt (Austrian, 1862–1918), “Secession I,” This Kiss to the Whole World: Klimt and the Vienna Secession, accessed June 4, 2023, https://secession.nyarc.org/items/show/4.