Danaë (Klimt)
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''Danaë'' is an
oil painting Oil painting is a painting method involving the procedure of painting with pigments combined with a drying oil as the Binder (material), binder. It has been the most common technique for artistic painting on canvas, wood panel, or oil on coppe ...
by the Austrian artist
Gustav Klimt Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...
, created in 1907. An example of
Symbolism Symbolism or symbolist may refer to: *Symbol, any object or sign that represents an idea Arts *Artistic symbol, an element of a literary, visual, or other work of art that represents an idea ** Color symbolism, the use of colors within various c ...
, the canvas measures 77 x 83 cm, and was in the Galerie Würthle in Vienna until it closed in 1995. The work belongs to the art collection of
Hans Dichand Hans Dichand (29 January 1921 in Graz – 17 June 2010 in Vienna) was an Austrian journalist, writer, and media businessman. He published the Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper ''Kronen Zeitung'', Austria's largest newspaper in terms of ...
(1921–2010) and is today in the possession of his three children.
Danaë In Greek mythology, Danaë (, ; ; , ) was an Argive princess and mother of the hero Perseus by Zeus. She was credited with founding the city of Ardea in Latium during the Bronze Age. Family Danae was the daughter and only child of King Acr ...
was a popular subject in the early 1900s for many artists; she was used as the quintessential symbol of divine love, and transcendence.


Subject and composition

While imprisoned by her father
Acrisius In Greek mythology, Acrisius (; Ancient Greek: Ἀκρίσιος means 'ill-judgment') was a king of Argos. He was the grandfather of the famous Greek demi-god Perseus. Family Acrisius was the son of Abas and Aglaea (or Ocalea, depending on ...
, King of
Argos Argos most often refers to: * Argos, Peloponnese, a city in Argolis, Greece * Argus (Greek myth), several characters in Greek mythology * Argos (retailer), a catalogue retailer in the United Kingdom Argos or ARGOS may also refer to: Businesses ...
, in a tower of bronze, Danaë was visited by
Zeus Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is the child ...
, symbolized here as the golden rain flowing between her legs. It is apparent from the subject's face that she is aroused by the golden stream. In this work, she is curled in a
royal purple Tyrian purple ( ''porphúra''; ), also known as royal purple, imperial purple, or imperial dye, is a reddish-purple natural dye. The name Tyrian refers to Tyre, Lebanon, once Phoenicia. It is secreted by several species of predatory sea snails ...
veil which refers to her imperial lineage. Sometime after her celestial visitation she gave birth to a son,
Perseus In Greek mythology, Perseus (, ; Greek language, Greek: Περσεύς, Romanization of Greek, translit. Perseús) is the legendary founder of the Perseid dynasty. He was, alongside Cadmus and Bellerophon, the greatest Greek hero and slayer of ...
, who is cited later in Greek mythology for slaying the Gorgon
Medusa In Greek mythology, Medusa (; ), also called Gorgo () or the Gorgon, was one of the three Gorgons. Medusa is generally described as a woman with living snakes in place of hair; her appearance was so hideous that anyone who looked upon her wa ...
and rescuing Andromeda. Many early portrayals of Danaë were erotic; other paintings completed in similar style are Klimt's ''
Medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...
'' (1900–1907), and ''Water Snakes'' I (1904–1907).Payne, Laura. ''Klimt''. Bath, UK: Parragon Publishing, 2004.


See also

* ''Danaë'' (Correggio) * ''Danaë'' (Rembrandt painting) * ''Danaë'' (Titian series) * List of paintings by Gustav Klimt


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Danae (Klimt Painting) 1907 paintings Paintings by Gustav Klimt
Klimt Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sketc ...
Paintings in Vienna Nude paintings of women erotic art Oil paintings