Art
Art Bites: Gustav Klimt Was a Cat Daddy – artnet News
One indisputable fact about the internet is that it has been taken over by cats. But such feline infatuation has a long history—particularly in the art world. Case in point: renowned Austrian artist Gustav Klimt loved cats so much that he let them take over his studio, too. When art critic Arthur Roessler visited the painter’s studio, he was reportedly shocked by the conditions he met.
“As I sat with Klimt and rummaged around in a heap of papers, surrounded by eight or 10 meowing, purring cats, play fighting with each other, so much so that the rustling study sheets just went flying, I asked him, puzzled, why he tolerated such antics spoiling hundreds of the most beautiful drawings,” Roessler wrote.
Klimt was pointedly unbothered by the chaos around him. “No, my friend, even if they crumple and tear one or the other pieces of paper,” he told the critic. “It doesn’t matter; they only pee on the others, and, you know, it makes the best fixing agent.”
There’s no knowing if Klimt did use cat pee as a fixative on his work. There’s no scientific proof that feline urine is at all useful as a fixation agent. In fact, the substance would more likely ruin artwork than improve it. More believable is that Klimt had made the claim in jest, leaning into his reputation as an obsessive cat-lover.
The painter was equally known for his reclusiveness. Klimt used his art to lift him out of poverty, moving from the Austrian countryside to the glamorous city of Vienna. Though they were buying up his work, Vienna’s wealthy social elite shunned him. His country dialect and mannerisms were deemed unfit for high society. He also never participated in the cafe culture that was central to the lifestyle of European artists.
It’s no surprise, then, that the painter turned to his furry friends for company. An iconic photo, shot by photographer Moriz Naehr, depicted him standing outside his studio, wearing one of the floor-length caftans he painted in, cradling his beloved cat Katze.
![Left: Gustav Klimt, The Kiss (1907–1908). Collection of the Belvedere, Vienna. Right: A.I. picture generated on Midjourney by Vienna Tourist Board. Photos: © Belvedere Museum and Vienna Tourist Board.](https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2023/05/WTV_AI_Split_3_2_Klimt-1024x683.jpg)
Left: Gustav Klimt, The Kiss (1907–1908). Collection of the Belvedere, Vienna. Right: A.I. picture generated on Midjourney by Vienna Tourist Board. Photos: © Belvedere Museum and Vienna Tourist Board.
Remarkably, despite his deep affection for them, Klimt never painted cats. Last year, however, the Vienna Tourist Board mashed up the internet’s love of cats with Klimt’s when they launched their campaign titled UnArtificial Art. They used A.I. to reimagine Klimt’s iconic artwork, The Kiss, replacing the lovers in the painting with sorrowful felines in a tender embrace.
What’s the deal with Leonardo’s harpsichord-viola? Why were Impressionists obsessed with the color purple? Art Bites brings you a surprising fact, lesser-known anecdote, or curious event from art history. These delightful nuggets shed light on the lives of famed artists and decode their practices, while adding new layers of intrigue to celebrated masterpieces.
Follow Artnet News on Facebook:
Want to stay ahead of the art world? Subscribe to our newsletter to get the breaking news, eye-opening interviews, and incisive critical takes that drive the conversation forward.
Art
Art Gallery of Ontario accepts one of its largest ever private art donations – The Globe and Mail
[unable to retrieve full-text content]
- Art Gallery of Ontario accepts one of its largest ever private art donations The Globe and Mail
- Art Gallery of Ontario receives 37 works from late telecoms executive’s estate Art Newspaper
- Art Gallery of Ontario accepts one of its largest ever private art donations Yahoo News Canada
Art
We surprise a six-year-old whose art portfolio and community donations keep growing – BayToday.ca
[unable to retrieve full-text content]
We surprise a six-year-old whose art portfolio and community donations keep growing BayToday.ca
Source link
Art
Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone – BBC.com
[unable to retrieve full-text content]
Ukrainian sells art in Essex while stuck in a warzone BBC.com
Source link
-
News21 hours ago
Ugandan Olympic athlete dies after being severely burned by her partner over a land dispute
-
Health19 hours ago
ProstaClear: Simple Hacks Any Man Can Use To Support a Healthy Prostate
-
Health18 hours ago
Acid Reflux sl cb – case study
-
News16 hours ago
Prince Harry and Matt Damon set to address this year’s Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting
-
Politics20 hours ago
Nova Scotia legislature returns for fall sitting amid early election speculation
-
News20 hours ago
No photos of Trudeau on campaign signs in Montreal riding ahead of byelection
-
News15 hours ago
Nearly 2,000 drug plants are overdue for FDA checks after COVID delays, AP finds
-
News13 hours ago
Committed: Startup Survival Tips and Uncommon Sense for First-Time Tech Founders By Eldon Sprickerhoff