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Everything You Need to Know About Immersive Klimt, An Honest Review

The Creative Adventurer — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 19:26:08 +0000

Gustav Klimt has always been one of my favourite painters. There is something about his golden dreamlands that ensnares the senses. When I saw The Kiss in person at the Belvedere Museum in Vienna for the first time, I was floored. I had seen it many times online and in books but seeing it in real life took my breath away. The amount of gold was staggering. It felt like it had been carved from gold instead of painted with it. It truly did shimmer and shine when you looked at it. The couple in the centre almost lost within this mesmerizing kaleidoscope.

Klimt was a man who broke the rules and was somewhat of a rebel in the art community. He moved away from the standards of the time and found a like group of people who would transform the world of art forever. And above all else, Klimt found a way to weave eroticism into all his works, either subtlety…or not so subtlety. Even today, his paintings stir something deep down inside of all us. Immersive Klimt takes the audience on a journey throughout the life of Gustav Klimt. To see his beginning, inspiration, fellow painters, and most importantly, the women who were his great muses!

How Much are Tickets?

Depending on where you see the show, the ticket prices may vary slightly. Currently, the show is on in Toronto, but in 2022 it plans on touring the USA. Tickets vary in price depending on the time and day of the week. Weekends and evenings are $45-$55 CAD per adult. But on weekday afternoons, tickets are only $35. So plan accordingly to save a bit of money!

How Long is the Show

The entire show lasts 35 minutes and is put on a loop. You are free to stay for as many loops of the show as you like. I usually advise blocking off about an hour to experience the show from different angles. It’s worth just sitting through the entire loop in one spot to take it all in. Then, for the second showing, walk around a bit. This way, you can see how the animations and projections change depending on your standing in the room.

Review of Immersive Klimt

Klimt went through so many different periods of his painting, and to see them all laid out together is an amazingly transformative experience. Over the years, Klimt’s popularity has become almost commercial. His paintings have graced dorm rooms as posters all over the world. His golden patterns find their way onto clothing and accessories. This mainstream accessibility is so surprising because during his lifetime he was deemed extremely controversial.

In 2020, the team behind Immersive Van Gogh created their newest exhibition, Immersive Klimt. Lighthouse Immersive describes the period in which Klimt was working as an artist as “the height of the artistic revolution in Vienna that preceded the fall of an empire: pulsing with bombastic energy and the collision of the traditional and the modern.”

That energy can be felt throughout the show. Unlike the other artists who have had immersive exhibitions based on their works (Van Gogh and Monet), Klimt’s work is imaginative, abstract and almost vibrating with passion. If you’ve never seen an immersive show before, the exhibition uses scans of the works of a certain artist and, using digital technology, animates and blends them together. These are then projected onto the walls of these wide-open spaces. While some people insultingly refer to these as nothing more than screensavers, I think it is an amazing opportunity to experience works of art together as one show that would never otherwise be able to be seen together. Either because they are spread out all over the world or some painting might even be held in private collections.

Immersive Klimt Animations

I found this show to be the most experimental in the animations the team uses to project Klimt’s work onto the exhibition space walls. At times it was suuuper trippy, and I heard more than one person mention that it made them feel like they were on drugs. The flashing lights at times felt like you were at a rave. I couldn’t help but feel this was how a contemporary audience could feel the same shock and awe that early 20th century audiences felt when they saw Klimt’s revolutionary work for the first time.

The penultimate painting, the Kiss, was projected along with videos of contemporary dancers. The dancers were nude, just as many of Klimt’s models, and danced to the sound of the music playing all around you. The group I went with were torn on this modern addition. But personally, I loved seeing it. It felt like real-life passion that the works of Klimt’s are trying to project.

Is It Worth It?

Immersive Klimt was the most fun of all the productions I have seen. The team behind the exhibit really seemed to let their imagination run wild. But like with all of these immersive shows, it lacks context. This one especially had almost no contextual information upon entering. Plus, throughout the show, they also project artworks by Egon Schiele, Koloman Moser and images from Ravenna Cathedral. It’s important to understand these aren’t part of Klimt’s oeuvre. The show does a great job of presenting a variety of Klimt’s artworks from the various periods of his life but just doesn’t do justice to the stories behind these paintings.

Klimt himself is such a compelling character whose life impacted and affected his works so much. Hopefully, this blog will act as a primer to your visit to the Immersive Klimt Experience and allow you to better understand the moving nature of these transcendent works of art.

The Life and Art of Gustav Klimt

Klimt’s Young Life

Gustav Klimt was born in 1862 in a small suburb of Baumgarten, southwest of Vienna. His father was Ernst Klimt, a gold engraver, and his mother, Anna, was an aspiring musical performer. Their household was filled with creative energy, and no doubt, Klimt was influenced by this from the day he was born. But the family of seven children was desperately poor. Their poverty constantly resulted in them having to move to search out cheaper housing. One of Gustav’s sisters died in 1874, and soon after, another of his siblings was sent to a sanitorium. After succumbing to religious fervour. The lack of medical treatment available to this impoverished family no doubt impacted their day-to-day lives.

Viennese School of Arts and Crafts

Despite all this, Ernst saw Gustav’s talent, as did his teachers. His father wanted to see Gustav succeed and escape the poverty his family was trapped in. So, in 1876 Gustav applied to enroll in the Viennese School of Arts and Crafts. He was only fourteen years old. And yet, he was a prodigy with skills far beyond his young age.

At school, he learned all the classical painting techniques. But they also taught their students how to work in other mediums. He also learned how to create mosaics, work with metals, and even mix paints. All of which he would incorporate into this artwork later in life. Gustav’s love of folklore, mythology, and Slavic history would be ignited in school. A theme that spread like wildfire throughout his artwork.

The Ringstrasse

Klimt had his first chance at practical experience working in the creation of the artistry of the Ringstrasse. In 1858, Emperor Franz Joseph wanted to destroy all the old medieval defensive walls around the city. With this new space, he wanted to create a new, vibrant outer ring of buildings that represented the new Vienna. He called this part of town the Ringstrasse (“ring street”) encircled the city. This was Vienna’s “Golden Age.” The Ringstrasse is the most popular loop for tourists to see all the best Viennese architecture even if you visit Vienna today.

The Golden Age of Vienna

During the Golden Age, research, science, and industry were all driven by modern advancements. And yet, the one aspect of culture which had yet to be redefined was art. And that was where Klimt saw his opportunity. Klimt and his brother Ernst started up a small painting business, and their first commission was to paint the grand stairway of the new Burgtheater. Klimt called the paintings in series the “Allegories and Emblems.”

Despite this being a hugely prestigious commission, the pay was dismal and wouldn’t even cover the price of models. So Klimt had to get friends and family to pose for the murals. Today, this is such a historical treat as we can still see Klimt’s sisters Hermine and Johanna’s faces set among the spectators in Shakespeare’s theatre. And Klimt’s brother Georg is even portrayed as the dying Romeo. Hidden in the audience is also the only surviving self-portrait of Gustav. Klimt never painted a self portrait so this is the only version of himself he ever made.

University of Vienna’s Great Hall

Despite the massive success of the Grand Staircases of the Vienna Burgtheater, Klimt was about to suffer one of the most significant blows of his life. In quick successions, both Klimt’s beloved father and brother suddenly died. Klimt suddenly was charged with financially taking care of his family. It was perhaps this onset of responsibility that drove him to become a successful artist. He poured all of his grief into his art, like many great artists before him.

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The first large commission he took after the death of his family members was at the University of Vienna’s Great Hall. But Klimt wasn’t going into this commission like the others he had done. Based on the classical compositions and techniques he learned in school. His grief has sent him spiralling to find a new form of painting. He began employing a radical style filled with decorative symbolism.

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Philosophy, Jurisprudence and Medicine

The images he was set to paint were supposed to represent Philosophy, Jurisprudence and Medicine. Yet, the university has difficulty reading any of his paintings expressing these subjects. Klimt’s grief and the loss left him jaded. In his depiction of Philosophy, he painted the great thinkers as just people who could not save man from despair. Jurisprudence only justifies violence and leaves the innocent vulnerable.

Most importantly, Medicine could not save us from death. In addition to these controversial scenes, the women he portrayed in the scenes were all nude. The Medicine mural was deemed highly scandalous. The critics even referred to it as “pornographic.” The university sent these paintings to exhibitions in Paris to get more opinions before they were to have them installed. At the show, the judges were blown away by the decorative symbolism.

Despite winning the gold medal at the art exhibition, the university refused the paintings. Klimt was enraged. Klimt kept the images for himself and later displayed them in Vienna’s Museum of Modern Art. Sadly, the pictures were all lost in a great fire in 1945. The Nazis burnt many paintings they deemed too radical, and Klimt sadly fit right into that group. Today we have a few pictures of the works of art along with some aspects of the painting he incorporated into future paintings.

Founding the Vienna Secession

After the disappointment at the University, Klimt began to seek out other like-minded artists. Through this search, he left the Kunstlerhaus, Vienna’s association of artists. Leaving the group was a big deal. It was only through this association that most artists got their big commissions. But Klimt knew they preferred the more conservative work and wasn’t interested in bending to that style of work.

Instead, in 1897 he founded his own artist community, which he called the Wiener Sezession (Vienna Secession.) The Secession movement was the Austrian interpretation of Art Nouveau that sweeping other parts of Europe. Although there was no strict manifesto, as Klimt wanted to encourage all the artists to be as expressive and unique as possible, the art seemed to reflect naturalism, realism and symbolism.

Nuda Veritas

The Secession group included famed architect Josef Hoffmann, designer Koloman Moser, designer and architect Joseph Maria Olbrich, painters Max Kurzweil, and Art Nouveau prodigy Alphonse Mucha. The first real painting of Klimt that was at the forefront of the Secession movement was Nuda Veritas in 1899. The painting depicts a beautiful naked woman with flaming red hair. In her hand, she holds the mirror of truth towards the viewer. At the top of the frame is a quote by Friedrich Schiller in stylized lettering: “If you cannot please everyone with your deeds and your art, please only a few. To please many is bad.”

Emilie Louise Flöge

During the founding of the Vienna Secession, Klimt also started a lifelong partnership with Emilie Louise Flöge. Emilie’s sister Helene had been married to Gustav’s brother Ernst. When Ernst died, Gustav became Helene’s legal guardian and spent a lot of time with the entire Flöge family. Emilie and Gustav became constant companions but they never married. Their alternative romance was a shock to Viennese society. Still, it seemed in the same vein as everything else in Klimt’s life. Despite their atypical relationship, Klimt was known to use her as a model. She is immortalized in many of his most famous paintings.

It’s important to note that Emilie was an incredible fashion designer, and she had a very successful Viennese fashion house. She was not the typical muse who faded into the background, more than a pretty face. She was fiercely creative in her own right, and her fashions were miles ahead of their time! Much like the fashion revolution we are seeing today, her styles moved away from the male gaze. Her designs were also made in the spirit of freedom. She wanted to break away from the tight corsets and give these modern freethinking women dresses that were loose and yet also emphasized their femininity.

Mermaids and Serpents

The other reason that Emilie and Klimt were never married was perhaps that Klimt was somewhat of a Viennese Casanova. Undoubtedly, he was somewhat of a misogynist and was obsessed with the human form. As well as his desire for the women he painted. Given the freedom of expression from the Secession movement, Klimt drew hundreds of erotic drawings in the 1900s. These expressive, sensual, and dynamic forms would go onto become the basis for his famous Mermaids and Serpents.

I loved how the Mermaids were represented in Immersive Klimt. Swimming around the space, giving real movement to their sensual and fluid forms. It’s very interesting to note that the design of the women’s bodies is stretched and feature a bulbous head. Creating the effect of a phallic-like shape. The integration of male and female forms as one singular creature.

Another signature style of Klimt’s paintings was his women with long, large, red hair. The hair runs wild! It swirls around the women as if with a mind of its own. In early paintings of these mermaids, they are featured with men staring at them, both enraptured and horrific all at the same time. This gives the viewer a hint that perhaps these are not just any women, but in fact, more like Sirens. The Siren’s power is in their ability to capture and eat the men they seduce. While Klimt did his fair share of objectifying women he also was a man who saw the power of women.

Water Serpents

In later paintings like Water Serpents I and Water Serpents II, the women are depicted in their own world. No men in their new kingdom. In fact, one of the pieces was very controversial as it was thought to depict two women as lovers. Klimt renamed the piece “Mermaids,” giving it a symbolic theme in fear that it would be censored. The fairytale context and fish-like bodies allowed him to represent this facet of society without being criticized. Later in his career, he would unabashedly represent lesbians without contextualizing them into myths. He wanted to paint them as they were. They became less abstract, the bodies unmanipulated. They were just simply The Women Friends, wrapped in an intimate embrace.

Judith and the Head of Holofernes

Women’s power over men was another theme that shocked society at the time. And yet, Klimt did not shy away from this. Klimt’s interpretation of Judith and the Head of Holofernes is a decisive example of his point of view. This scene is painted time and time again in art history and with many different interpretations. In most paintings of this scene we can see Judith in the process of cutting the head off, sometimes looking angry, violent, or even a bit repulsed. But usually, the man’s entire body can be seen, his horrified face sometimes more powerful than the expression on Judith. And yet, in Klimt’s, Judith’s body takes up almost the entire frame. She is the star.

The head of Holofernes a literal side note, just peeking out from the corner of the frame. Judith’s expression is almost orgasmic as she reclines against the wall with her breasts exposed. She is seen taking pleasure in this act, something which Viennese society simply could not bring themselves to understand. Despite Judith being the one who cut off the head of Holofernes, she looks slightly decapitated. The large gold necklace around her neck blends into the gold background, making it look as if her head is almost floating about her body. Mimicking the act of the beheading.

Beethoven Frieze 1901

In 1901, Klimt began work on a large frieze for the Fourteenth Vienna Secessionist exhibition. Although the piece was only intended to be displayed during the exhibition, it was painted directly onto the walls. The entire piece stands at 7-feet high and 112 feet wide.

It wraps around the rooms and begins with the image of a floating female Genii. Her form is repeated across this side to depict her flying around in search of Earth. The genii greet three golden figures. The largest figure in the foreground is a knight, wearing a shining set of golden armour. The knight is a symbol of hope, a saviour to humanity’s suffering.

Typhoeus

In the most interesting part of the mural, the Genii meets the wind giant Typhoeus and his hostile forces. Typhoeus is a giant hairy creature with great wings that stretch across the entire wall. The creature’s giant snake-like tail curls under the wings and circles inwards like a spiral.

For Europeans of the time, the image of Typhoeus was especially impactful. Typhoeus was the personification of typhoid which plagued European cities, including Vienna, in the nineteenth century.

Typhoeus stands with his daughters, the three Gorgons, who symbolize lust, debauchery, and death. Their jet-black hair is encircled in golden snakes, just like the tail of their father. Their alluring bodies seem to temp viewers to come closer. They are the real sirens who lure men to their doom. Above the sirens are a series of ghoulish-looking women who seem to almost be decaying away in front of our eyes. These represent the faces of syphilis which was also running rampant through the streets of Vienna. Clearly, Klimt had a personal issue with all these diseases.

To the right of Typhoeus, a full-figured woman with sagging breasts represent Intemperance. She is excessive in all ways, in the wealth of her flashy jewelry, her ostentatious blue skirt and her obvious gluttony.

Love, Art and Music

But the Genii flies on in search of happiness. And she finds it, in a choir of angels. The singing represents the fact that we are led to an ideal realm of happiness and pure love through art. Music is truly heaven on earth.

The scene ends with a kiss. All that constant yearning, and searching, finally comes to an end. The couple’s kiss is so passionate that the world around them seems to disappear, and they enter into their own reality. Behind them grows a tree. Perhaps reminiscent of the tree of life, which spread out from the earth into the heavens. The lover’s feet are bound together as if it represents the sturdy trunk of the tree.

The Ravenna Awakening

In 1903 Klimt was searching for inspiration. He was 41 years old, and despite his success, he found himself at an impasse. On a trip to Italy to gaze upon the old masters, he stopped into the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. The church is most famous for its incredible Byzantine mosaics. In fact, St Vitale boasts the largest and best-preserved mosaics outside of Istanbul. In a letter, Klimt stated that “the mosaics are of incredible splendour.”

As Klimt’s father was a gold engraver, goldwork had been a part of his life for as long as he’d lived. And yet, this was the first time he had allowed the gold to overwhelm him and enter fully into his art. He was amazed at how the light reflected onto the gold. The light seemed to change the entire piece as the shone into the room. It seemed so expressive and was yet another element Klimt could add to his paintings to bring them to another emotional level.

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer

One of the first paintings Klimt made upon his return to Austria was the Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer. In this portrait, you can see precisely how the mosaics of Ravenna translated themselves into his paintings. Adele is sitting against this brilliant golden starry background. She wears a beautiful triangular-shaped dress, made up of rectilinear forms of silver and gold leaf. There was so much gold and silver leaf in the painting, the total cost of the work of art was as much as a large house in the middle the Vienna.

Each part of her dress and body is decorated in a different pattern, creating this patchwork quilt of symbolism. In parts of the paintings, the dress blends so perfectly into the background to the point where the subject becomes one with the background, almost melting into it.

Egyptian Influence

Some of the symbols used within the painting reflect Klimt’s interest in Egypt. In this painting, the Eye of Horus is repeated along the front of her dress. Egypt’s Book of the Dead is one of the most richly decorated texts from that era, and Klimt was enthralled with its imagery. Klimt was also interested in the idea of life after death. In this painting, Adele seems like she is floating in an ethereal place, which is not of this plane of reality but perhaps of somewhere between life and death.

It is rumoured that Adele was also Klimt’s model (and perhaps lover) for the painting of Judith and the Head of Holofernes. The two women bear many similarities, and the large chocker around their necks are almost identical in both portraits. Although this cannot be proven, the love and care Klimt took in her painting is irrefutable.

The Saga of the Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer

Long after Klimt’s death, the painting of Adele went on to transcend art history and become one of the most famous paintings in the world. During WWII, the painting changed hands multiple times, attempting to evade destruction by the Nazis. Although Adele had originally written in her will that the paintings be given to the National Viennese Art Gallery upon her death, this was because she died long before the Nazis invaded. A new will by her husband had been created to ensure the painting was kept within the family. But this was ignored and the museum kept the painting for years even though it had been sold to them by a Nazi sympathizer.

Eventually, the great-granddaughter of Adele Bloch-Bauer was able to open a new case to get the painting returned. She was able to file the case over in America where she now lived under a new law. She was finally successful and despite her long fight, she found she needed to sell as such an expensive painting just couldn’t be kept in her home. The painting was set to be bold at auction but ended up being sold privately for a whopping $135 million.

The Tree of Life 1905

The next famous painting in Klimt’s golden period was The Tree of Life, or the Stoclet Frieze. The Stoclet Palace was the home of a wealthy Belgian who commissioned several of the Secessionist artists to make art for his new palace. This piece he commissioned by Klimt was to hang on a large wall inside his dining room.

The triptych features a large swirling tree in the centre. To the left is a single woman draped in a large patterned cape, and to the right is an embracing couple. The couple’s embrace mimics the same pose of Klimt’s most famous painting, The Kiss. In the Tree of Life, Klimt continued to explore the themes of Egypt symbology he began to explore in the Portrait of Adele. The Tree of Life is an important symbol in many cultures. And in most cultures, the tree symbolized the connection between the world of human beings with that of the gods and spirits. Another ancient symbol incorporated into the painting is the repeated coils and spiral reminiscent of ancient Mycenaean.

Eye of Horus

The tree’s trunk is covered in the Eyes of Horus looking out at the viewer. Perched in the centre of the tree is a great raven or falcon. Horus was often portrayed as a falcon when the god came down to earth. Horus had two eyes, one made of the sun and the other made of the moon. The morning and the night, life and death. Just as Horus represents the circle of life, as does the tree. The tree’s swirling branches represent the different directions and ways life is a complex circle. The tree’s branches touch the sky, and its roots reach the ground, creating a connection between life and death. As if to tell the viewer there is no real end, only a new beginning in a new circle.

The woman on the right is called Expectation. Her large dress features huge pyramid motifs throughout her robe. Her face is also heavily inspired by Egyptian hieroglyphics. On the right, we have the couple who are called Fulfillment. This couple was once called the Lovers. But this name was too close to the Kiss which also shares a very similar pose. The couple is standing in a loving embrace. But in this pose, we do not see the man’s face at all as he has his back to us. The man seems to fall into the women’s arms, as the patterns on their dresses meld together as if they are becoming one. Perhaps Klimt’s commentary on the meaning of life, and how to be fulfilled, is to be loved.

The Kiss

The most famous of all Klimt’s paintings is The Kiss. It is often quoted as being one of the most romantic paintings in the world. This painting was one of the most popular posters sold at university fairs and hung on many people’s walls I lived with throughout the years. It has almost become a parody of itself but nevertheless, its power is truly extraordinary.

A couple stands in front of a starry, golden background. The ground upon which they stand seems to be blessed with fertility. Flowers bloom in a thicket in vibrant colours beneath them. So dense the grass cannot even be seen. The couple stands, almost on the edge of the earth, in a passionate embrace. Both the foreground and background are painted on the same plain. There is no depth to the painting. This reflects Klimt’s inspiration, the Ravenna mosaics. The flatness of the mosaics seemed to enthrall him, and it was through the use of light and texture that the mosaics would sparkle and shine and be given depth. But of a different sort.

Man vs. Woman

Unlike in the Tree of Life, this couple’s clothing is made of differing patterns. The man’s large robe is painted with dark geometric patterns. His robe features straight lines and more classically “masculine” colours of blacks, greys and browns. The men’s head is entangled in a crown of green vines, like the Laurel wreaths which symbolize man’s victory.

The woman also has a spray of flowers women into her hair but not as a crown, perhaps showing her submissiveness. Her dress is also distinctly more colourful. It features swirling organic forms which are classically more feminine. The circles almost resemble a women’s womb. From the bottoms of her dress, golden vines seem to creep downwards, perhaps another hint at the idea of women’s fertility.

Orpheus and Eurydice

Many art historians refer to the couple in the scene as mythological characters from the Greek story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus fell madly in love with Eurydice, and yet shortly after they were married, she was bitten by a snake and died. Orpheus, in utter heartbreaking despair, goes to the underworld to retrieve his lost love. As he was a talented musician, he managed to get past many of the obstacles in his way using these talents. When he finally found her, Hades told the lovers they could only leave on one condition. That they never look back.

The couple agreed, and after finally climbing out of the underworld and seeing the beauty of the golden sun and green grass on the earth’s surface, Orpheus turned back to look at Eurydice to see her reaction. But when he did, she disappeared forever. Klimt has captured that moment for us, frozen in time. The moment as Orpheus turns back to kiss Eurydice just before she disappears is preserved in golden amber. Her toes are curled under and clutch the earth, on the edge of the underworld, to which they just exited. That grip shows to the viewer how much she doesn’t want to let go. And lose her love forever. Despite knowing the ending, we want to see a different result for these passionate lovers. And if we cannot change the course of history, let us therein just reveal in this moment with them.

Emilie Flöge?

Many people think the woman who modelled for ‘The Kiss’ was Klimt’s long-time lover and companion Emilie Flöge. Despite never being married, the two were truly soul mates. When Klimt died, the last words out of his mouth was, “Emilie must come.” While the man in the painting doesn’t resemble perfect Klimt himself, I like to imagine this is his idealized version of himself and captures their unique romance for eternity.

En Plein Air

After the fervour of his golden period, Klimt began a new cycle of art which was inspired by his choice to start painting outside. ‘En Plein Air‘ or Plein air painting is the act of painting outdoors. This period of painting did away with the gold and silver gilt. It was replaced with a more subdued palette and subject matter. He employed a lot of purples, lilacs and salmon tones in these paintings, which some people call his “purple period.” Klimt was so interested in this new form of painting he re-made his portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer in this new style. Since she was so important to him. He even made a painting of her daughter despite the fact that otherwise Klimt almost never painted children.

The majority of these pastel paintings surrounded his favourite subject; women. Most of them were so erotic they could not be exhibited at the time. Klimt featured portraits of female lovers wrapped in a beautiful embrace that shocked the public at the time in Vienna. But Klimt didn’t shy away from portraying all aspects of sexuality. Despite the restrained pallet, Klimt nevertheless continued to play with stylized backdrops and floral patterns. The paintings looking more and more like a kaleidoscope.

Klimt’s Death

In many of Klimt’s paintings, he seems to be interested in the idea of disease and epidemics. It is therefore pretty ironic that Klimt himself fell ill to the worldwide influenza epidemic of 1918. It took his young life at the age of 55 years old. One has to imagine how many other incredible paintings he would have made should he have lived past this epidemic. He was buried at the Hietzinger Cemetery in Vienna. He lies underneath a rather plain tombstone with only his name emblazoned on the granite but written in a perfectly Secessionist font. A subtle memorial to all the great works of art he helped create, in addition to his own works, in the founding of this group.

Klimt truly was a visionary who saw the world in a way that it is almost impossible to find its equal. While the Kiss might be his most memorable work of art, there are so many other pieces you should seek out and learn more about. They tell the real story of his life and by seeing them all together in an exhibition like Immersive Klimt is a unique experience I think is worth a visit! Let me know in the comments what your favourite painting is or what you thought of the exhibition.

Happy Travels, Adventurers!

The post Everything You Need to Know About Immersive Klimt, An Honest Review first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.

A Historic Self-Guided Walking Tour of Vienna

The Creative Adventurer — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 13:04:16 +0000

Vienna is the capital and largest city in Austria, and as of 2001, the entire town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been named the “City of Music” or the “The City of Dreams” and for good reason. Vienna is home to some of the most interesting architectural masterpieces in Europe. While Vienna might be a big, bustling city, its historic centre is rather small and easily explorable by foot – the best way to get in touch with the feeling of this remarkable city. Modern buildings intertwine with gothic gems. While some historic towns feel like they are trapped in the past, this city embraces antiquity but still feels a part of the modern world.

Map of Walking Tour

Vienna State Opera House

Start your tour at the Vienna State Opera House. In the City of Music, there is no better place to start than the Opera. The Opera House opened in 1863 and since then has been home to some of the most world-renowned artists, musicians and directors. Every year there are over 350 performances from over 60 different operas and ballets.

The facade of the Opera House hasn’t changed since 1869. Neo-Renaissance style arches and a huge veranda pops out onto the Ring Road and offers the public the chance to use the building as shelter from the rain or even just a shady pathway throughout the year. This integration of the building into the daily lives of people in Vienna also cemented its prominence as a piece of architecture in the hearts of its residences.

Harmony and Poetry

The bronze statues which top the building represent Erato’s two winged horses named Harmony and Poetry. Above each of the arches along the outside are five statues representing heroism, tragedy, fantasy, comedy, and love. There are also two iconic fountains on their side of the opera house which depict the two worlds which music can create; one representing dance, joy, and levity, and the other seduction, sorrow, love, and revenge.

Deep in the bones of this building, you will find veins of Vienna’s past. The arts were such a huge building block of Vienna’s culture. It was here that Mozart wrote the famous opera The Marriage of Figaro. The city was home to many great composers of the classical music era, during the early 19th century, such as Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven.

You can get a behind the scenes tour which will take you backstage with a guide who will tell you all about the history of the opera house. If you’d rather watch a performance, tickets range anywhere from 8€-130€, but if you wanted to save money, you can purchase day-of standing room only tickets for as little as 2€.

Café Sacher Wien

Café Sacher is a legendary restaurant. Located inside the Sacher Hotel, the cafe has stood in the same spot, serving the people of Vienna for over a century. Stepping inside the large entry doors, you are welcomed into a stunning Marie Antoinette-inspired dollhouse. Deep red painted walls are accented with bright white linens and sparkling golden chandeliers. The crown moulding is covered in gold leaf and acts like icing on top of a cake.

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Cafe Sacher is famed for their invention of the Sachertorte, made in 1837 for the presiding Viennese prince. There is no better place in the world to sample this uniquely Viennese treat. The Sachertorte is made by combining two layers of airy chocolate cake, separated by apricot jam, coated with chocolate ganache and topped off with whipped cream. The cake itself is quite dry, so the whipped cream and a cup of warm coffee or tea is the best combination to enjoy the dessert to its fullest.

Albertinaplatz

Down the street from Cafe Sacher is Albertinaplatz or Albertina Square. Albertinaplatz is met on six sides by six different roads, making it a favourite meeting destination for the people of Vienna. From the square, you can see or visit the Albertina Art Museum, St. Augustin Church or the Austrian Film Museum.

In the centre of the square are various powerful statues and monuments. Before 1945, wealthy apartment blocks covered this square. But during WWII they were all subsequently destroyed in an air-raid. The numbers of deaths could never be verified, and the bodies could not be recovered from the rubble.All the statues now standing here, use stones similar to the ones pulled from the wreckage. Standing amongst the statues, almost beneath them, you can imagine how much carnage huge falling piece of stone would have caused.

The Gates of Violence

The Gates of Violence stand in the centre of the square and are the most imposing piece. They are made from the same material which was used to create stairs inside many of the infamous WWII death camps. The great stone is split in half, a powerful image symbolic of how war can break apart even the strongest things in this world. Embedded in the stones are images of war, gas masks, men and women caught in their moment of death, medical experiments, chained victims and weapons of war. It is a stirring and honest depiction of the horrors of war.

Orpheus Enters Hades

Another piece of sandstone displays a muscular man with his head buried in the stone. This piece is called Orpheus Enters Hades. It is meant to remind all those who pass by that ignorance leaves you as guilty as the rest.

A bronze statue lays almost flat on the ground. It is the image of a jew covered in barbed wire. A reminder of the degradation and humiliation that the Jews suffered in Vienna even before WWII. A weak arm is outstretched towards you, asking for help and one only wishes you could tear the copper wries from his body to set him free.

The Stone of the Republic

The Stone of the Republic is a replica of the 1945 declaration that established Austria’s second republic and helped protect the human rights of all its citizens. It is the best piece to finish on as it is a hopeful message to end with. Although these statues are very emotional to view, I think they are very important to see as we need to understand the entirety of Vienna history; the good, the bad and the ugly.

Kärntner Straße

Kärntner Straße or Carinthian Street is the most iconic shopping street in Vienna, frequented by so many people that it has been turned into a pedestrian-only zone. People can walk up and down the street from Karlsplatz to Stephansplatz without fear of running into traffic. The pedestrian zone creates this gorgeously open space. Even when hundreds of people are out and about it feels relaxed and unemcumbered.

Kaisergruft

The Kaisergruft, inside the Capuchin Church and Monastery, is home to the Viennese Imperial Crypts. Since 1618, the deceased members of the House of Habsburg have been buried here in ornate urns and opulent metal sarcophagi. While it might seem a bit macabre to explore the tombs, the resting places of the kings and queens of Vienna are more like a work of art than a graveyard.

Metal Sarcophagi

107 metal sarcophagi lay beneath the church, along with five heart urns. The more significant the person laid inside the more magnificent the tombstones. The prominent members of the royal family’s tombs are made of pure bronze while some of the more lowly members are made of cheaper, tin alloy, coated with shellac to appear to be bronze. In the 19th century, some of the tombs were even cast in silver and covered in gold plating for an even more expensive appearance. The study of metalwork throughout the ages is on display here just as much as the dead who lie beneath their masterpieces.

When the bodies were buried, most of their organs were removed since the tombs would be free-standing and this would result in excessive putrification of the organs in the basement of the church. The heart was often saved and placed in an individual silver urn atop or beside the tomb. Most of these urns were sent elsewhere, perhaps to stay with the family while their bodies lay to rest here.

Sarcophagus of Empress Maria Theresia

The most incredible piece is the Sarcophagus of Empress Maria Theresia and Emperor Franz I Stephan designed by Balthasar Ferdinand Moll. This extravagant double sarcophagus in Rococo style featured the pair, as they would have appeared in life, lying on top of the lid, as if awakened from their slumber. They stare at each other, and their features are so lifelike one is almost skittish as you walk by. Their tombs, like many others, features scenes of critical moments in their lives surrounding the perimeter. The shrouded figures represent the grieving states which they ruled over in their time: Holy Roman Empire, Hungary, Bohemia and Jerusalem. They now rest at peace underneath a domed fresco, heavenly pink and blue painted clouds floating eternally overhead.

Neuer Markt

While it might be called the New Market this square is anything but new. It was first established as the primary market in Vienna in 1234 when the old Hohe Markt was no longer large enough for the needs of this growing medieval city. In the centre of the square stands the Thunder Well. The Thunder Well was created in 1739 by artistic Georg Raphael Donner. The bronze statues which surround the fountain are copies of original sculptures which are now housed in the Austrian Gallery Belvedere.

Surrounding the square are several pastel coloured architectural masterpieces. #10-11 is where you’ll find a house which once was home to a traditional delicatessen. It was built by Arnold Heymann in the Old German Renaissance style. Today you can visit the new owners who still run a delicatessen business out of the storefront.

Mayseder house

Further down the street, you can find the Mayseder house at #15. This is the oldest house on the square, built in 1548, and now is home to a fancy jewellery shop.

Haas Haus

In sharp contrast to the houses along the New Market, the Haas House is a postmodern dream of architect Hans Hollein built in 1990. Today it is part retail and part restaurant so if you wish to dine inside you have the chance to eat within an architectural star.

St. Stephen’s Cathedral

Without a doubt, the most visited building in Vienna is St. Stephen’s Cathedral. The original church was built here in 1137, but after being ravaged by fire, a new church was constructed atop its literal ashes. The current incarnation is a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic influences built in the 14th century.

The most impressive and unique feature of the church is the brightly coloured tile roof. Over 230,000 ceramic tiles create the stunning rooftop mosaic of the imperial double-headed eagle. The double-headed eagle is the symbol of the Habsburg Monarchy who ruled over Vienna for centuries. A double-headed eagle in Rome symbolized you weren’t merely an imperial ruler but a divine one, blessed by the Pope.

St. Stephen’s Roof

The iconic roof was the only part of the church to be damaged during WWII. Although there were official orders to fire upon the church until all that was left was rubble, those orders were dismissed. Perhaps the sheer power the church commanded caused those who would destroy it to betray their orders. During the Soviet occupation of Vienna, fires were set in the shops opposite the cathedral and, unfortunately, they spread and set fire to the church roof. Tiles crashed to the floor, but due to the dutiful efforts of their clergy who piled protective bricks atop their precious statues and monuments inside, nothing was too severely damaged before they could put out the fires.

The church’s tower overlooks over the entire city, watching over it like a dutiful guard. The tower is named Steffl and stands a staggering 136 meters high and is home to one of Europe most massive bells, which is etched with the face of the mother of god. It is a legend that when Beethoven was a child, he first became aware of his deafness when he stared up at the tower and saw the birds flying away as the bell began to ring but Beethoven himself couldn’t hear a thing.

Riesentor

The Giant Gate or Riesentor is your entry into the Cathedral. This gateway was part of the original Romanesque church, built in 1223, which was subsequently burned down. The name for the gate came from the discovery of a mastodon bone found beneath the church discovered in the 14th century. Before modern science, people believed that giants roamed Europe and that these mastodon and dinosaur bones were remanents of that great race.

Entry into St. Stephen’s Church

Although you can view the church from the square surrounding it, you must make the effort of going inside to visit. When you first enter there is an area which is free. To go further inside the nave will cost you, but the price is so minimal and more than worth it. Many day-tripping tourists will walk inside, snap a picture and walk right back out. The entry is so crowded but once you pay your €5,50 (Child: €2,00) the crowds disperse and all that is left is the immense beauty of the overwhelming columns, sparkling stained glass and monumental paintings.

As you walk through the church take a moment to study the gothic columns. Each one of them is home to a beautifully carved saint under ornate canopies. At the base of each column is a cluster of a richly pigmented paintings. The magnificent stone pulpit, created by Niclaes Gerhaert van Leydenm, is a gothic masterpiece, which encircles one of the support columns like a stone tentacle.

There are six chapels is total which are on either side of the nave. Each one dedicated to a different saint; Saint Barbara, Saint Catherine, the Chapel of the Cross, Saint Eligius, Saint Bartholomew, and Saint Valentine.

If you are feeling up to it, and I suggest you muster all your energy, take the time to climb the 342 steps up the South Tower. The steep and narrow ancient staircase will lead you up 246 feet to a lookout which provides one of the most stunning views of Vienna.

The Graben

After touring the church, you might want to chill out with a walk along the Graben. The Graben is Vienna’s Rodeo Drive. The word Graben means “gutter” as this area was once on the edge of the city walls, where the refuse would be thrown into the outer city moat. Today, it couldn’t be further from the gutter. Along this street, you’ll find some of the most expensive shops, exclusive retail, traditional delights and fantastical architecture – both old and new.

The Holy Trinity Plague Column

In the mist of high-end shops and expensive cafes and restaurants stands one of the most impressive Plague Columns in Europe. Plague columns were erected after plague was wiped out from the city. It was a monument of perseverance in the sight of great pain and suffering. Topped with the Mother of God, this Plague Column was also dedicated to the Brotherhood of the Holy Trinity who created plague hospitals to care for the infected.

Vienna suffered as many as 75,000 dead during their great plague in 1679. Vienna was spared much of the 14th-century plague but was ravaged when it returned in the 17th century. Although medicine and sanitization techniques were improving much of the treatments for the epidemic were still a mix of religious prayers and outlandish medicine. The column is 69 feet tall. At the base, we see the figures representing faith triumphing over disease. The middle portion has the visages of Emperor Leopold I and is topped with golden cherubs flying around to protect the Mother Mary.

St Peter’s Church

The Peterskirche or St. Peter’s Church sits on the corner of the Graben. The earliest church built on this site dates back to the early middle ages, but because nothing remains of that original structure, the church has lost its title as the “oldest church in Vienna”. The current iteration of the church was designed in Romanesque style, initially built in 1137 but redone in the 1700s after fire and plague ravaged the structure.

The interior design of the church was inspired by the Vatican in Rome. When you step inside, you are swept up in a warmth that is almost ethereal. The church uses lots of pink and red marble as well as gold stucco throughout to create this welcoming radiance. A dark, baroque painting covers the massive dome and in the cupolas are frescoes representing the Coronation of Our Lady. The high altar might be one of the most stunning church altars in all of Europe. Walking up to it, your head cranes upwards, towards the heavens.

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Healing of the Lame

Four columns on either side flanks a beautiful Viennese painting of the Healing of the Lame by St. Peter and St. John in Jerusalem by Martino Altomonte painted in the 16th century. If you continue to look upwards, you’ll see a smaller, circular painting of the Immaculate Conception, painted in the 19th century by the artist Kupelwiese. The rest of the altar was created by Antonio Galli Bibiena and is a testament to his skill at creating scenes in gold and silver.

To the right of the altar is the spectacular gilded pulpit, crowned with a gold-and-silver representation of the Martyrdom of St. John of Nepomuk, sculpted by Lorenzo Mattielli. Above them on the canopy, sits the mother of God. The faces and expressions on the sculpture are so powerful and those precious metals seem to have such governance over the viewer.

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On either side of the altar are the side chapels with paintings of the Holy family (left) and St. Michael (right). In either are glass coffins which contain martyrs from the Roman catacombs, dressed in full Roman regalia. Even the pews in the church are decorated, the ends carved with expressive cherubic heads. As you walk out of the church, take a moment to study the baroque organ built in 1751.

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Cafe Demel

Cafe Demel is the closest thing to walking into Maria Antoinette’s bedroom youll ever find outside of Versaille. Luxurious dark wood with Neo-baroque patterns adorn the walls. Golden chandeliers with crystal petals hang from the ceiling and antique mirrors reflect back from every angle beautiful cakes and pastries hiding behind glass cabinets. Demel was established in 1786 and ever since has served Vienna the most mouth-watering pastries and chocolates.

The white-aproned waitresses help the customer pick out their treats. The chocolate comes in some of the most stunning packagings, and although are rather expensive, they make a unique gift which will be treasured by whoever receives it.

MANZ Bookstore

Beside Demel is the MANZ bookshop. MANZ has stood here for over 100 years selling mainly judicial literature. Today, it is a landmark not for its literary selection but its iconic art deco portal, designed in 1912 by Austrian architect Adolf Loos.

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Looshaus

The Looshaus was designed by the same man who created the MANZ bookstore and constructed only a year before. But unlike MANZ which received overwhelmingly positive reviews, the Loohaus was considered too modern in 1911. Vienna was a baroque city which loved ornamentation, and the Loohaus was simplistic, geometric and contemporary. Although it took the public a long time to come around to this form of design, today it is viewed as a groundbreaking piece of art design architecture which helped push the movement forward in Europe.

Michaelerplatz

Michaelerplatz is a large square which separates the rest of the city from the Hofburg Palace, the former imperial court of Vienna. The enormous Michaelertor, the gate into the palace, dominates the square. Its masterful roman columns seem to swell like the crashing of the waves over the rest of the square. In the centre of the square, you can view an open area which has been preserved with the remains of Roman and Medieval foundations of the square which once stood here hundreds of years ago.

Michaelerkirche

On the opposite side of the Michaelertor gate is Michaelerkirche. The Michaelerkirche is an amalgamation of various architectural styles, the original medieval structure was built in 1221, the current facade built in 1792 is neoclassical and the tower, from the 14th century, displays many iconic elements of Gothic architecture.

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Walking inside, you’ll be immediately struck with awe upon looking at the swelling, high altar. Designed in 1782 by Jean-Baptiste d’Avrange it is one of the most majestic stucco sculptures from the Rococo period. The piece features the story of the Fall of the Angels and includes the Archangel Michael of which the church is named after. Clouds burst from the walls and a golden sunburst beams from the ceiling. Angels and cherubs fall to the ground from above. On the lower sunburst is the altar of Maria Candia, a Byzantine icon of the Virgin Mary.

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Great Organ

The other iconic piece of design worth studying inside is the gilded pipe organ from Johann David Sieber. This is the largest baroque organ in Vienna. As you first gaze up at the centre you might not think it looks that big but look to the left and the right and observe the GIANT organs on either side of the smaller central set of pipes. The unfinished Requiem by Mozart was first performed here in 1791.

Austrian National Library

The Austrian National Library is older than some modern nations. The library dates back to 1349 and contains some of the most impressive collections of medieval literature across Europe. Although the 7 euro entry fee into the library might seem steep for entry into, basically one big room, trust me, this is one big room you don’t want to miss. Walking into the Grand Hall, you’re met right away with a breathtaking scene. You feel like you’re inside a cathedral with the massively high ceilings, doomed rooftop covered in frescos and enormous marble columns. But the important part of the room are the glossy amber shelves holding precious paper treasures.

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Heldenplatz

This history of Heldenplatz is a sordid one. Heldenplatz or Heroes’ Square is a large public area in front of the Hofburg Palace. One of the darkest parts of this square’s history is its use in Adolf Hitler’s ceremonial announcement of the Austrian Anschluss to Nazi Germany on March 15th, 1938. The square is the perfect place to get an incredible shot of the Royal Castle which sits across the square. In the centre of the square stands the statue of Archduke Charles of Austria. The statue was installed in 1860, and was meant to lift the spirits of the people up after their defeat in a bloody battle. The horse he rides on is rearing up as this is a symbol of military glory. Another equestrian statue in the square is that of Prince Eugene of Savoy designed in 1865.

Maria-Theresien-Platz

Walking west along Heldenplatz Road you will come to another grand square; this one is the Maria-Theresien-Platz or Empress Maria Theresia Square. On either side of the square are two near-identical buildings, one is now the Natural Museum of History and the other the Art History Museum of Vienna. In the centre of the square is a large statue of Empress Maria Theresa, her hand outstretched towards the people below. She is surrounded by variously armed calvary surrounding the round statue. The square itself is decorated with simple yet aesthetically pleasing green shrubs and bushes carved into perfect round nodules.

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Bier & Bierli

This charming tavern has been located along the Operngasse for hundreds of years, and the new owners wanted to continue its excellent legacy. Today this tavern serves up dozens of local and international beers and down-to-earth Viennese specialities. The walls are covered in beer memorabilia from over the years and sitting inside makes you feel like you’re more in a museum than a restaurant. If you want a down-home taste of Vienna, be sure to order the veal schnitzel, this gigantic fried piece of meat is served alongside a traditional helping of cranberry jelly, fried potatoes and a salad to make you feel like you’re offsetting all that fried goodness.

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The post A Historic Self-Guided Walking Tour of Vienna first appeared on The Creative Adventurer.