What do you think?
Rate this book
Gustav Klimt: Beethovenfries. Zeichnungen
English summary: Gustav Klimt's monumental Beethoven Frieze is now recognized as the highlight of his career and is seen as an icon of Viennese Art Nouveau. Klimt designed the 35 meter long frieze in 1902 for the Beethoven art exhibition of the Viennese Secession under the theme of longing for happiness. He transformed Beethoven's 9th Symphony into a powerful visual image: gold leaf, semi-precious stones and mother-of pearl, as well as (for the time) unusual prosaic applications of curtain rings, upholstery nails and broken pieces of glass. Floating linear female characters as the embodiment of aspirations lead the viewer along the wall sequence of the Beethoven frieze. In a fascinating tangle of fables, figures and forms, Klimt tells of humanity's suffering and the triumph of the arts and love. Klimt ends his frieze in a presentation of "Kiss for The Whole World" as an expression of Schiller's "Ode To Joy." This catalog offers a detailed view of the frieze and refers to its graphic templates. In this particularly sensitive presentation of acts, which allow direct access to his work, Klimt pays homage to the woman as lascivious seductress, femme fatale, and carrier of life. The eroticism and elegance that characterize the Fin de Siècle are unique to these representations. German text. German description: Gustav Klimts monumentaler Beethoven-Fries wird heute als Höhepunkt seines Schaffens und Ikone des Wiener Jugendstils gewuerdigt. Klimt entwirft 1902 seinen 35 m langen Fries fuer die als Gesamtkunstwerk konzipierte Beethoven-Ausstellung der Wiener Secession. Begleitend zu diesem Werk zeigt das Katalog-Buch eine Vielzahl an Zeichnungen aus seinem uvre. Unter dem Thema Sehnsucht nach Glueck entwirft Gustav Klimt den beruehmten Beethoven-Fries. Er setzt in diesem Beethovens 9. Symphonie in eine gewaltige Bildsprache um: Blattgold, Halbedelsteine und Perlmutter schmuecken die 2,50 m hohe Bilderfolge genauso wie damals ungewohnte prosaische Applikationen aus Gardinenringen, Polsternägeln und Spiegelscherben. Schwebende lineare Frauenfiguren als Verkörperung der Sehnsuechte fuehren den Betrachter als Genien durch die lange Wandabfolge des Beethoven-Frieses. In einem faszinierenden Geflecht aus Fabeln, Figuren und Formen erzählt er in dem gewaltigen Zyklus vom Leiden der Menschheit und vom Sieg der Kuenste und der Liebe. Klimt beendet seinen Fries in der Darstellung "Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt" als Ausdruck Schillers "Ode an die Freude". Das Katalog-Buch erlaubt die Detailsicht auf den Fries und verweist auf die zeichnerischen Vorlagen. In diesen besonders sensiblen Aktdarstellungen, die den unmittelbaren Zugang zu seinem Werk erlauben, huldigt er der Frau als laszive Verfuehrerin, Femme fatale, Schwangere oder Unnahbare. Die Erotik und Eleganz, die das Fin de Siècle prägen, sind diesen Darstellungen eigen.
160 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 2010
1 person want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 11, 2019
The Beethoven Frieze was initially intended only for a short lifespan during the XIV. Exhibition of the Vienna Secession (“Beethoven Exhibition”) and should have been chipped off afterwards. Fortunately, it was salvaged and restored. During this process a 1:1 copy was manufactured, which now travels the word and lets people enjoy the overwhelming strength and beauty of this piece of art. This catalogue documents the exhibition of the frieze and accompanying drawings at the German town of Balingen in 2010.
The purpose of the XIV. Exhibition was to re-establish the unity of architecture, painting and sculpture as existed in classic times. The secessionists chose Beethoven, the universal artist as motive with the Beethoven sculpture of Max Klinger in the very centre.
Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze was mounted in a flanking room with large openings toward the centre.
Most likely Klimt was guided in its design by Richard Wagner’s interpretation of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony as the longing for happiness and its demonic enemies. But male strength overcomes them and leads to heavenly bliss.
Manking entreats the Armored Strength, assisted by Ambition and Compassion
The Three Gorgons, Illness, Insanity, Death, the giant Typhoeus as well as Lust, Unchastity, Gluttony and finally Nagging Grief stand in its way.
Art (symbolized by Poetry) finally leads the way to the Heavenly Choir intoning “Freude schöner Gotterfunken” and mankind is saved in the “Kuss der ganzen Welt” (both lines from Schiller’s “Ode an die Freude”).
Apart from the details of the frieze the catalogue also provides a comprehensive insight in the diligent preparation of the artist which includes dozens if not hundreds of drawings, some of them a piece of art in their own sense. These reproductions are not limited to the frieze, but also include drawings not related to paintings. Klimt was obsessed with the human, in particular, female body. Subsequently many of these drawings picture nude women in changing positions, some in very intimate moments like love making or masturbation. However, all of them, including drawings of pregnant, old or obese women, appear neither as pornographic or repugnant, but exude an air of inner dignity and beauty.
The following postings show nudity and therefore are collapsed.
This catalogue provided me with a much broader understanding of the Beethoven Frieze, its inner and outer context and Klimt’s way of working. I strongly recommend it to every fan of this artist.
The purpose of the XIV. Exhibition was to re-establish the unity of architecture, painting and sculpture as existed in classic times. The secessionists chose Beethoven, the universal artist as motive with the Beethoven sculpture of Max Klinger in the very centre.
Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze was mounted in a flanking room with large openings toward the centre.
Most likely Klimt was guided in its design by Richard Wagner’s interpretation of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony as the longing for happiness and its demonic enemies. But male strength overcomes them and leads to heavenly bliss.
Manking entreats the Armored Strength, assisted by Ambition and Compassion
The Three Gorgons, Illness, Insanity, Death, the giant Typhoeus as well as Lust, Unchastity, Gluttony and finally Nagging Grief stand in its way.
Art (symbolized by Poetry) finally leads the way to the Heavenly Choir intoning “Freude schöner Gotterfunken” and mankind is saved in the “Kuss der ganzen Welt” (both lines from Schiller’s “Ode an die Freude”).Apart from the details of the frieze the catalogue also provides a comprehensive insight in the diligent preparation of the artist which includes dozens if not hundreds of drawings, some of them a piece of art in their own sense. These reproductions are not limited to the frieze, but also include drawings not related to paintings. Klimt was obsessed with the human, in particular, female body. Subsequently many of these drawings picture nude women in changing positions, some in very intimate moments like love making or masturbation. However, all of them, including drawings of pregnant, old or obese women, appear neither as pornographic or repugnant, but exude an air of inner dignity and beauty.
The following postings show nudity and therefore are collapsed.
This catalogue provided me with a much broader understanding of the Beethoven Frieze, its inner and outer context and Klimt’s way of working. I strongly recommend it to every fan of this artist.
Displaying 1 of 1 review