Master Apollon House Gallery

A Shift in Style: Klimt’s “Jurisprudence” and the Influence of George Minne

Gustav Klimt, one of the most influential artists of the Vienna Secession movement, experienced a dramatic shift in style throughout his career. A pivotal point in this evolution is evident in his preparatory studies for the 1903 faculty painting Jurisprudence, which marked a distinct departure from his earlier atmospheric works like Philosophy and Medicine. The influence of the Beethoven Frieze (1901/02) and Belgian sculptor George Minne can be traced in these studies, showcasing Klimt’s increasing embrace of linearity, angularity, and a more graphic approach to art.

---

From Atmosphere to Linearity: A Clear Artistic Shift

The Jurisprudence project was Klimt’s contribution to a series of faculty paintings for the University of Vienna, alongside works on Philosophy and Medicine. These earlier works were characterized by a rich, atmospheric quality, with fluid forms and lush, organic shapes that conveyed an emotional depth. However, Klimt’s Jurisprudence, depicting three vengeful goddesses looming over a sinner, represents a stark stylistic shift towards bolder, more graphic lines.

The preparatory sketches for Jurisprudence show Klimt’s newfound emphasis on linearity—especially in the use of “uniformly thin and almost brittle lines in black chalk.” This contrasts sharply with the sweeping curves and more atmospheric qualities found in his earlier studies for the Beethoven Frieze, marking the beginning of a more angular, graphic approach. This transition is evident not only in the studies but also in the final painting, where the goddesses are described as being “entwined by dark bundles of lines,” adding a sense of tension and energy to the composition.

---

The Influence of George Minne: A Modern “Gothic” Approach

A key influence on Klimt’s evolving style during this period was Belgian sculptor and graphic artist George Minne. Minne’s “modern Gothic” style, with its angular gestures and melancholic, brooding figures, served as a direct inspiration for Klimt’s treatment of the figures in Jurisprudence. Klimt was drawn to Minne’s emotionally charged, angular figures, which introduced an expressive quality that was distinctly different from the more fluid, sensual forms that had characterized his earlier works.

This influence is particularly clear in the preparatory study Face of a Woman with Her Hands at Her Cheek, where the figure’s “brooding, melancholy facial expression” is compared directly to Minne’s style. The “slanted slits of the eyes under drooping eyelids” capture the essence of a figure caught in a moment of somber reflection, evoking the gothic atmosphere Minne was known for. Klimt’s exploration of the emotional weight of the figure and the psychological depth of her expression is indicative of the growing tension in his work between sensuality and abstraction.

---

The Tension Between Sensuality and Abstraction

One of the most compelling aspects of Klimt’s work, particularly during this phase, is the tension he created between sensual immediacy and a higher, more abstract order. This duality is most clearly seen in the drawing Seated Woman in a Pleated Dress, created around the same time as the Jurisprudence studies. The figure is described as a “variant of the middle vengeful goddess” from the painting, and her direct gaze and symmetrical composition create a powerful, almost magnetic effect.

The drawing exemplifies the core tension in Klimt’s work: “between sensual immediacy and a higher order—between organic life and abstraction.” The goddess’s gaze is both captivating and unsettling, suggesting a deeper emotional state that transcends simple representation. At the same time, the linearity of the figure and the geometric precision of the composition point toward a more abstract, ordered world—a contrast to the more organic sensuality of Klimt’s earlier works.

---

Klimt’s Monumental New Art

The Jurisprudence painting represents a turning point in Klimt’s career, where he fully embraced the influence of Minne and the stylistic elements seen in the Beethoven Frieze. As the 1903 painting evolved, Klimt shifted towards monumental art characterized by strong lines, angularity, and a graphic sensibility that would define much of his mature work. These elements would later become prominent in the Expressionism of artists like Oskar Kokoschka and Egon Schiele, who would further explore the angular, emotional expressiveness that Klimt had begun to push forward in Jurisprudence.

The painting’s strong linear qualities and the angular, graphic forms used to depict the goddesses mark a departure from the atmospheric moods of Philosophy and Medicine. Klimt’s characteristic use of gold leaf and his focus on emotional expression in Jurisprudence set the stage for the evolution of modern art in Vienna, bridging the gap between symbolic and abstract approaches to art.

---

Conclusion: Klimt’s Artistic Evolution

Gustav Klimt’s Jurisprudence stands as a testament to his ability to evolve as an artist, moving from the sensual, atmospheric qualities of his earlier works to a more expressive, linear, and graphic style. The influence of the Beethoven Frieze and George Minne’s modern “Gothic” style played crucial roles in shaping this transformation. As Klimt explored the tension between sensuality and abstraction, Jurisprudence emerged as a bold reflection of his growing interest in linearity, emotional depth, and the power of graphic representation. This pivotal shift in his style marked the beginning of a new phase in Klimt’s career and had a lasting impact on the trajectory of modern art.