The Virgin

Gustav Klimt's art meshes the expressions of the old century and art of the new century. His work often passes the boundaries of Expressionism and Surrealism, introducing a new theme: Sexuality in Art. This theme oftentimes placed Gustav Klimt under the spotlight of the more conservative Bourgeois and they labeled his paintings as"Pornographic." He unwittingly turned into a rebel to the views of society, but this did not deter him and he continued on with his paintings. He would paint women in erotic positions, birthing the femme fatale. One such painting that represents this style is The Virgin (1912-1913). Gustav Klimt tangles several women into a flower décor. Each figure represented the different stages that a young woman becomes a woman. The mixture of tangled women and the flower symbolism represented the sensuality and innocence of women. A closer look into this painting would suggest that as the women are formed in the shape of a flower, they are representing the hold of the woman over her virginity. Unsuitable men are warded and the forceful pull that men would play to take a woman's virginity would be frowned upon.