Tree of Life by Gustav Klimt

Comprising one of three pieces in the Stoclet Frieze (completed in 1911), the Tree of Life represents Klimt’s understanding of the normal cycle of life. The tree of life is the central motif of the frieze, with the tree serving as a symbol in which all the motifs important to Klimt are united, from flower to woman, from the death of vegetation to the rebirth of seasons.

About the Artist

Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), founder of the school of painting known as the Vienna Secession, embodies the notorious psychological and aesthetic preoccupations of turn-of-the-century Vienna, Austria’s dazzling intellectual world. Heralded as the preeminent exponent of Art Nouveau, Klimt’s style was inspired by sources including classical Greek, Byzantine, Egyptian and Minoan Art. In incorporating techniques of these, as well as a number of modern influences, Klimt achieved both mosaic elegance and a style uniquely his own.