Shinto and Beyond

As an integral figure in fin-de-siècle Vienna, Gustav Klimt's art demonstrates his consistent engagement with symbols, including creating his own. Klimt's symbolist repertoire was firmly grounded in European tradition; at the same time, the artist studied and adopted certain Japanese symbols, adapting them to his own ends. While Klimt's fascination with Japanese art transcended specific styles, schools, mediums, and religions, it seems that Shinto had a significant impact on a few of his pivotal paintings. This chapter primarily focuses on Klimt's interest in Shinto symbolism and how it influenced his Portrait of Emilie Flöge (1902) and The Kiss (1908). It also suggests some additional Japanese sources that shaped Klimt's execution of his tour de force , The Kiss .