Pallas Athene

Gustav Klimt, one of the most famous artists in the world, was born on this day in 1862.

Here he presented Athena, the Olympian goddess of wisdom and war. Klimt's use of Classical myth iconography is directly derivative of antiquity in his many images of Athena. The painting we present today depicts a very different persona from his famous femmes fatales whose sexuality is overwhelming, for example his Judith and the Head of Holofernes (1901) and Danae (1907-8) (check them in our Archive). Here it is Athena's divinity that Klimt finds more interesting, rather than her sexuality, which is not surprising given the gender ambiguities she demonstrated in Greek antiquity. Perhaps Klimt implies that power is a catalyst to sexual instincts, as history has long suggested that power is one of the most important sexual stimuli in human behavior and that the desire for power is strongly connected to sexual desire. In any case, this somewhat asexual Greek goddess becomes Klimt's most powerful female in his art.

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

P.S. Here you can explore the unknown world of Klimt’s landscapes; you will be surprised!