Redressing Modernity

The study of Japonisme in general, and in Klimt's art in particular, would be incomplete without considering the role played by the kimono. After the Weltausstellung 1873, slowly but inevitably, a decisive shift in tastes gained momentum in Vienna. As in Paris after the Exposition Universelle of 1867, women played a key role in disseminating interest in Japan. One of their favorite Japanese items was the kimono. While its simple form and exuberant decoration exerted a strong impact on Western culture, the garment remained predominantly an exotic motif for most fin-de-siècle artists. Klimt avoided this widespread approach to the staple of Japanese fashion, instead approaching it as an additional domain for artistic innovation and creativity. Moreover, Klimt shared a fascination for the kimono with Emilie Flöge, thereby encouraging her pioneering explorations in fashion. This supports an earlier argument in the book that their mutual interest in Japanese art further cemented the unshakable connection between the two. Thus, placing the kimono in the historical and cross-cultural context of fin-de-siècle Vienna, this chapter examines its impact on Klimt's art, as the garment was one of the stimuli behind his inquiries into Japanese patterns, decoration, design, etc.