Girlfriends Gustav Klimt (1862-1918)

Description of Gustav Klimt’s painting "Girlfriends

Gustav Klimt painted The Girlfriends in 1916-1917. Unfortunately, the original painting did not come down to us - it burned down in 1945. The author based his work on the complete contrast of the bodies of two girls, friends - one of them naked, the other - on the contrary - wrapped in clothes. From the title it is difficult to assume that painted two lesbians, their relationship.

The author deliberately called his painting obliquely, thus showing that the girls are connected by something more than just a love affair between friends. Klimt was one of the few who was not shy about declaring this to the world. His French colleague Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made similar statements. It was Henri who knew the real meaning of this painting, about love not just girlfriends.

The female figures have no volume. Because of this, the girls merge with the background.

The painting also depicts animals: a chicken as the embodiment of women of easy virtue. The dragon in the picture represents male sexuality. It is not known what exactly Klimt wanted to say by depicting flowers. It is quite possible that they represent femininity.

Using allegory, the artist shows the love of the two feminine beginnings by slightly veiling them. "Girlfriends" frankly shows us the love of two girls, whom the artist captured in a very sensual pose, borrowing the background from traditional Chinese backgrounds.

Klimt did not only glorify romance in the traditional sense. The artist tried to depict any expression of love in his paintings, regardless of how society perceived it.