Compare and contrast the portraiture of Klimt with the portraiture Essay

Compare and contrast the portraiture of Klimt with the portraiture Schiele - Essay Example When Klimt died back in February 6, 1918, Schiele was one of the candidates who can follow the footsteps of Klimt. With this in mind, Zwingenberger (2011, p. 60) revealed that Schiele has one time called himself as the â€Å"Silver Klimt† 6. In fact, during the early part of the 20th century, Schiele became a well-known Austrian expressionist and a figurative painter 7. Specifically the fall of the Hapsburgs Empire during the World War I has occurred back in 1918 8. In relation to the previous paintings of Klimt and Schiele, the main purpose of this study is to discuss the similarities and differences between a couple of portraits made by each of these two successful painters few years before the fall of the Hapsburgs Empire happened. To give the readers a better idea of what is to be discussed in this essay, the works of Klimt such as the The Three Ages of Woman, 1905 and Hope II,  1907–08 and Schiele’s Woman in Green Bonnet, 1914 and Green Stockings, 1914 wil l first be described in short details followed by making the comparison between the art works of Klimt and Schiele based on the title, subject-matter, aesthetics, medium, and social aspect. Klimt’s Work: â€Å"The Three Ages of Woman, 1905† Klimt’s work entitled â€Å"The Three Ages of Woman, 1905† was drawn and painted in a 178 x 198cm canvas using oil 9. Specifically the chosen subject in this particular portrait was all about the representation of a woman’s life in three (3) different stages which include childhood life, adulthood, and old age 10, 11, 12. It means that these stages in a woman’s life could range from being an infant to becoming a mother, and eventually an old lady. (See Image I – Klimt’s Work: The Three Ages of Woman, 1905 on page 4) Image I – Klimt’s Work: The Three Ages of Woman, 1905 Source: Strauss, 2013, p. 162; De Pascale, 2007, p. 98 Upon closely examining this particular portrait, the im ages of a nude baby girl and a couple of ladies in Klimt’s â€Å"The Three Ages of Woman, 1905† were drawn with a unique and colourful mixture of orange, yellow, and brownish abstract background 13. For instance, on the upper left side was an old lady followed by a fairly skinned young mother in the middle, and the young child on the middle right side of the portrait. In line with this, the creation of a unique abstract background gave more emphasis to the outline of the naked bodies of these three ladies 14, 15. On the left side of the portrait, Klimt has drawn the image of a deformed, â€Å"sagging† or â€Å"wrinkled† skin which represents the age of the old lady 16, 17, 18. Furthermore, the fact that Klimt has drawn the image of the old lady with her face bowing down strongly represents her feeling of negative emotions such as sorrow and repressed emotions 19. On the middle and right side of the portrait show the beautiful face of a young mother holdin g an innocent baby girl 20, 21. Klimt’s Work: Hope II,  1907–08 Klimt’s work entitled â€Å"Hope II,  1907–08† was drawn and painted in a 43-1/2 x 43-1/2 inches canvas using gold, platinum, and oil 22. In this portrait was a pregnant woman with her head bowed down and eyes closed. In the upper centre of the portrait shows a half-naked pregnant woman 23. Specifically the closing of the woman’s eyes in this particular portrait strongly suggest the idea that the lady has been devotedly praying or hoping for her own safety and her child’