Departure from Popular Symbols

While it is true that classical liberalism, as the preoccupation of fin-de-siècle bourgeoisie culture, stood as a bastion for freedom of thought and freedom of religion (tolerance), these ideals in relation to the 19th century are a moving target in the sense that permissible freedom is a relative term. Throughout history the definition of “liberated” has progressed, as it seems one can always become more liberal. Today no institution is considered truly liberal, for example, if it does not extend its beliefs to apply to women, minorities, and so on. The liberal bourgeoisie of the turn of the century in Vienna today would face serious allegations of hypocrisy. Although they advocated freedom of thought and expression, they did so in a strictly academic way and were still impressively attached to traditional ideals. At the same time, artists were dissatisfied with the tastes favored by imperial or royal academies. Klimt’s estrangement from the conventional norms of typical nineteenth century Vienna was vividly illustrated by the intense eclecticism of his style and his break from traditional iconography. Just as had the work of other fin-de-siècle embracers of modernity—Otto Wagner, Sigmund Freud—Klimt’s work became a clean break from the implications of the past. Rejecting the use of historical context to define modern ideas, the artist instead focused on the personal aspects of the human psyche. By taking a more idiosyncratic, individualist approach to themes, Klimt addressed psychological issues with no traditional wide implications for society. However, it should be pointed out that by disavowing the comforting safety of classical symbolism, though narrowing his work to the realm of personal introspection, Klimt was also widening the range of his work to universal recognition.
The decorative shapes and swirls characteristic of Klimt’s work are a not only fundamental to the art but also show a visible progression of his stylistic almost-abstraction. Increasing as the years progress, the miasma of design reflects the internal conflict of man as it leaves us the basic impression of “stuff,” but also, subliminally, nothingness. Influence by Paris’ Art Nouveau, ancient Egyptian art as well as East Asian and Byzantine icons and mosaics is clearly visible in each painting, making it some of the most distinguishable and “different” art of the time.
Marking his eventual complete departure from the status quo, there are works like the 1900 “Philosophy,” a representation of an idea though universalized, non-historic imagery and not translated through those same classical metaphors which had been, by that point, clichéd to the point of meaninglessness.