Danae

July is the birth month of great artists - today we celebrate the 154th anniversary of Gustav Klimt's birth. He was an Austrian symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. Klimt is noted for his paintings, murals, and sketches as well as objets d'art.

Klimt's primary subject was the female body, and his works are marked by a frank eroticism — Klimt devoted his life to women. Richard Muter, in a newspaper review of 1909, claimed that "... the new Viennese woman, a specific sort of new Viennese woman - their grandmothers were Judith and Salome - has been invented or discovered by Klimt. She is delightfully vicious, charmingly sinful, fascinatingly perverse."

Danae is one of the most erotic paintings created in 20th century. Based on classical mythology, it shows a woman seduced by the god Jupiter. While imprisoned by her father the King of Argos in a tower of bronze, Danaë was visited by Jupiter, who turned himself to the golden rain that flows between her legs. It is apparent from the subject's face that she is aroused by this golden stream. The parted lips and legs, the closed eyes, the rolled-down stocking on her ankle, the red hair, and the diaphanous purple veil are all indicative of Danaë's sensual experience. Nearly a quarter of the picture surface is taken up by Danaë's thighs which makes this even more erotic. Danaë was a popular subject in the early 1900s for many artists; she was used as the quintessential symbol of divine love and transcendence.

See you tomorrow - when we will celebrate birthday of another great artist :)