Opulently gilded and extravagantly patterned, The Kiss, Gustav Klimt’s fin-de-siècle portrayal of intimacy, is a mix of Symbolism and Vienna Jugendstil, the Austrian variant of Art Nouveau.
Klimt depicts his subjects as mythical figures made modern by luxuriant surfaces of up-to-the moment graphic motifs. The work is a highpoint of the artist’s Golden Phase between 1899 and 1910 when he often used gold leaf—a technique inspired by a 1903 trip to the Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, where he saw the church’s famed Byzantine mosaics.
The Italian Riviera, a stretch of coastline that serves as a bridge between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountainous silhouettes of Italy, is synonymous with sprawling luxury. However, beyond the glitz and glamour lie hidden gems that encapsulate the true essence of serene beauty and timeless charm.
