Death and Life by Gustav Klimt (Interpretation and Analysis)

Death and Life
Source: Leopold Museum

Following my discussion of El Velorio yesterday, I want to continue our conversation about the symbolic contrast between life and death in art. Death and Life by Gustav Klimt is perhaps the most starkly symbolic depiction of this dichotomy.

Like almost all of Klimt’s work, the painting is firmly grounded in visual symbolism. Klimt was part of the symbolist movement. As the name suggests, the symbolists rejected naturalism and realism in paintings, instead choosing to explore the spiritual and philosophical world through the use of symbolic imagery. Their work aimed to access a higher truth, a level of spiritual and emotional reality that was neglected by the work of realist painters.

According to my research, Klimt was inspired by the dance of death motif in Medieval art, which explores the idea that death comes to all people. His painting reexamines this theme for the modern age. On the left, stands the skeletal figures of death, gazing towards life, represented by a mass of sleeping bodies upon a bed of flowers. The figures range from a plump baby to a grey-haired old woman, collectively representing the variety of human life and experience. Their entwined bodies contrast sharply with the solitary figure of death.

The obvious interpretation is that death comes for everyone, young and old, male and female. However, there is another, more complex way to approach the piece. While Medieval dance of death scenes often feature multiple representations of death, Klimt’s version of death is notably alone. The implication may be that, while living people and always connected to other living beings, everybody is alone in death. On a more optimistic note, the painting can also be interpreted as a statement of the power of life. Although individuals may perish, life itself continues. The baby symbolizes the promise of new life, while the bed of flowers may be a symbol of fertility and renewal. Under this interpretation, death becomes a pitiful figure, lonely and emaciated, jealously watching life continually reinvent itself.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.