Reclining Woman

Reclining Woman

The Reclining Woman belongs to a collection of sketches by the revolutionary artist Gustav Klimt. The soft sketch portrays a seductive spin on the artist's work as the woman unfolds her body upon the viewer.

The prominent artist is well known for his array of portraits and sketches showcasing the nature of the female form. The artist felt that the female body represented a graceful element to its array of curves, textures and shapes. Klimt's work focused on depicting these elements through light brush strokes that illuminated the women.

The sketch illustrates a woman reclined on her stomach in a large ruffled dress. The artist had showcased the material of the dress through a masterful array of detail in his quick technique. The viewer is able to witness the ruffles unfold on the woman's body, yet cut out on the back as the woman showcases her bosom.

The woman lightly arches her back, exposing her round buttocks to the viewer that blends into her thighs. The artist had included a light shades area between her legs to showcase the rest of her form, while up rising the imagination of the viewer.

The critical element of the piece is the nature of the woman's face. The muse looks straight at the viewer of the piece, accepting their presence as she seductively reveals her body to them. There is a mysterious allure to the piece, as the sophisticated woman unravels herself for the amusement of the viewer, and the artist himself. Her flirtatious manner is illustrated against the paper, as the woman lightly rests on her arm.

The muse's features are painted darkly, bringing the focal point from her backside to her sharp eyes. The seductive rather than provocative form of the painting is achieved through the emotion on the woman's face. Her light smirk is drawn, in an embarrassed tone while she desires the attention. Her dark eyes are widened, with prominent eyebrows shaping her face.

The woman's hair is lightly curled high placed in an up do, accessorized by an array of bracelets located on her right arm tucked under her head. The model holds her body in an arched position, adding a spontaneous presence to the piece. The work is similarly done to Klimt's other hidden sketch from 1916, Mulher Sendtada. The drawing showcases an erotic sketch of a woman pleasuring herself while reclining backwards with her eyes closed.

As this sketch holds a more provocative element than Reclining Woman; both sketches show a similarly styled woman. Both women have light curly hair, alongside a sexual undertone throughout the sketch. The significant element to seize is that Klimt had used coloured pencils in both to add an element of colour. The artist had gone the extra step to add colour to the piece, without just leaving it as a sketch. Perhaps this action of Klimt occurred as the artist felt that he could not paint these erotic pieces, as they would be met with immense criticism.

Gustav Klimt's sketchbooks are a home for all of the artist's deepest desires that he never had a chance to paint to the world. As the artist had died a sudden death, the audience is unaware if perhaps in the years to come the artist would have changed his style and portrayed these vulgar pieces. Nevertheless, Klimt's work holds an array of detail and technique, illustrating the artists well rounded capability in the arts.